Patricio received lengthy on-field treatment after colliding with Conor Coady as the goalkeeper came off his line with Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah through on goal; Liverpool went on to win the game 1-0 thanks to Diogo Jota's goal
Tuesday 16 March 2021 11:19, UK
Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo says goalkeeper Rui Patricio is "OK" after being stretchered off with a head injury during Monday's defeat to Liverpool.
Patricio, 33, received oxygen during lengthy on-field treatment after colliding with team-mate Conor Coady as the Portugal international goalkeeper came off his line with Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah through on goal.
Salah found the net but the assistant referee then immediately raised his flag to rule the goal out for offside, with VAR confirming the correct decision had been made.
The incident occurred in the 86th minute of Monday night's Premier League game, with Liverpool eventually closing out a 1-0 victory after 17 minutes of injury time had been played.
"He's OK," Nuno told Sky Sports. "He's conscious, totally conscious, he remembers what happened, he is aware, so the doctor tells me he's OK.
"I think it was a collision with Coady, I think the knee of Coady on the head, but he's OK, we speak already, so thank God, he's OK.
"All these situations when there's a concussion in the head gets all of us worried, but he's OK, so he's going to recover so everything's OK."
Speaking later in his post-match press conference, Nuno said Patricio had not at that time been taken to hospital.
Nuno said: "He's in good hands, he's being assessed by the doctors, they tell me that he's OK so it's just a matter of precaution and being really aware of the following hours."
Regarding the dangers of concussions, he added: "It's one of the situations that all of us are questioning, but the law is clear. The referees keep the flag down, they play to the whistle, the players must go till the end and situations can happen.
"This won't be the last time it happens, for sure."
Nuno was unable to confirm whether or not Patricio was likely to miss any games, with Wolves not in action again until Monday April 5 after the international break.
It now remains to be seen whether Patricio, Portugal's first-choice 'keeper, will be included in the nation's squad for their upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Azerbaijan, Serbia and Luxembourg.
"We have to wait," the Wolves boss said. "The following hours are important, he's going to be with the doctors being assessed. We have to wait and see what's happening."
Watching from the stands was Wolves forward Raul Jimenez, who has not played since undergoing surgery on a fractured skull sustained in a clash of heads with Arsenal defender David Luiz in November.
Jimenez has recently returned to training with his team-mates, but is not yet a full participant or heading the ball.
