Hull City’s Ryan Mason ‘stable’ after Chelsea skull fracture

Hull City midfielder Ryan Mason was in a “stable condition” in hospital on Sunday following an operation on a fractured skull, his club said after a sickening clash of heads with Chelsea’s Gary Cahill.

The pair collided 14 minutes into Premier League leaders Chelsea’s eventual 2-0 win at Stamford Bridge.

Medical staff from both clubs sprinted out to attend to the two players, with referee Neil Swarbrick halting play for more than five minutes while on-field treatment was administered.

But while central defender Cahill returned to his feet and indeed scored Chelsea’s second goal with a header as he completed the match, the unfortunate Mason left the field on a stretcher while receiving oxygen before being taken to the nearby St Mary’s Hospital in west London.

Several hours after the final whistle a Hull statement said: “The club can confirm that Ryan Mason sustained a skull fracture in our fixture at Chelsea this afternoon.

“He was taken to St Mary’s Hospital where he has undergone surgery.

“Ryan is in a stable condition and is expected to remain in hospital for the next few days.