Wolves boss Nunto Santo has said goalkeeper Rui Patricio escaped serious injury after being stretchered off during the defeat to Liverpool following a sickening collision with his team-mate Conor Coady.
The Portuguese was stretchered off with what looked like a serious head injury.
However, following the game, Wolves boss Nuno said his player was conscious and doctors had given him a clean bill of health.
What was said?
“We have just had an update and he is okay,” Nuno told Sky Sports. “He is conscious, he remembers what happened and he is aware. The doctors tell me he is okay.
“We spoke already and he is okay.
“All these situations when it is a concussion in the head has all of us worried.
“He is going to recover so he is okay.”
What happened to Rui Patricio?
Towards the end of the match at Molineux on Monday, Liverpool broke forward and Mo Salah was played through on goal
As he drove towards goal, Rui Patricio came out to narrow the angle, while Coady attempted to get back to make a tackle.
Salah lifted the ball over Rui Patricio and into the net, while Coady’s momentum took him into his team-mate.
The goalkeeper lay motionless, and medical attention was quickly on the field to treat the 33-year-old.
Play was stopped for some eight minutes before Rui Patricio was stretched off and replaced by John Ruddy.
The lack of a flag
Salah’s effort did not count, as he was flagged for offside - only after clipping the ball into the net.
Officials are now being encouraged to let play continue on offsides, as the technology allows goals to be looked at retrospectively and ruled out if necessary.
The issue with that, as in the case with Rui Patricio, is with play continuing there is the prospect of an injury occurring.
There is no guarantee that had the flag gone up immediately, Coady would not have collided with Rui Patricio - but it would have increased the chances of play being brought to an immediate halt.
Further reading
- Jota returns to haunt Wolves at Molineux
- Who are the 2020-21 Premier League top scorers?
- How many teams have won the Premier League?
