Beto had been knocked unconscious in the late tangle

Everton’s massive win over Nottingham Forest to take a big step towards Premier League safety was tempered by a late injury to striker Beto, who was taken to hospital after a clash of heads looked to have knocked him unconscious.

The Toffees were leading 2-0 and about two minutes into nine minutes of time added on when Beto and Morgan Gibbs-White went up for a high ball in the Everton half, and the Blues forward got the worst of it, landing face down in the turf. The Forest player eventually sat up while the Toffees’ medical staff attended to the Portuguese player.

Forest’s fans have often been taken to task for some of their vile and bilious chants during the game, and they only further enhanced their filthy reputations by chanting “Sign on” while Beto received emergency oxygen on the pitch.

Ignoring that lot though, Beto eventually was lifted into a stretcher and carried off, giving the thumbs up sign to show he is okay as he was replaced by Youssef Chermiti and the Blues saw out the remaining minutes of the game and pick up three crucial points in their battle for survival.

Speaking after the game, manager Sean Dyche added that the prognosis on Beto was positive.

“It’s too early from a medical perspective, but the early signs are very good. He had come around and he was speaking to the physios and the medical team so that’s good news at this early stage.”

Dominic Calvert-Lewin has just returned from a hamstring issue, and received medical treatment earlier in the game too but was deemed okay to continue. With the Blues still needing at least a few more points to secure survival, having Beto available might still prove to be pivotal.