Watford defender Christian Kabasele was immediately taken to hospital after colliding with a post in defeat to Chelsea.

Kabasele was taken to hospital and given oxygen to numb the pain after being forced off.

Despite returning to his feet momentarily, television pictures towards the end of the first half showed the former Genk man being wheeled into an ambulance on a stretcher with the aid of oxygen.

With games coming thick and fast over the Christmas period, it is a blow for Watford to lose one of their key men at the back.