Wolves boss Nuno says Rui Patricio is fine after worrying head injury
Nuno Espirito Santo confirmed goalkeeper Rui Patricio was 'conscious' and remembered what happened after a worrying blow to his head in Wolves' loss to Liverpool.
Patricio had to be stretchered off late on in the 1-0 defeat to the Reds – former Molineux man Diogo Jota the scorer – after an accidental collision with Conor Coady.
It was a worrying moment, with Wolves also having Raul Jimenez fracture his skull at Arsenal earlier this season, and required 12 minutes of treatment by medics.
But Nuno had positive news on Patricio's condition after the match as he said: "We just had an update from the doctor and he's OK. He's awake. He's conscious.
"He speaks and remembers what happened. We have to take the right precautions, but he's OK.
"It was a collision with the knee of Coady and a big knock to his head, but he's OK. For now, he's fine."
Asked whether Patricio sustained a concussion and will face a spell on the sidelines, Nuno said: "We don't know.
"We have to wait. The following hours are important.
"He's going to be with the doctors and be assessed. We have to wait, but it's happening."
The collision came as Coady raced across to try to deny Mo Salah, who was in an offside position as he put the ball into the net.
It arguably could have been avoided had the offside flag been raised early – and not delayed as assistant referees are instructed to do now – but Nuno refused to blame that.
"The law says the (assistant) referee must play to the whistle," he said.
"But these situations can happen, even in a normal situation of the game.
"It can happen, so there's no point in saying it could have happened because of that.
"We have to play to the whistle, so the players have to get used to this."
Nuno, meanwhile, felt Wolves showed a 'fantastic attitude' against the Reds, even applying pressure after Patricio's injury.
But a familiar lack of ruthlessness in the final third also let them down against last season's champions, and he wants to see that improved after the international break.
"I think we played a good game. It was difficult, but I think we competed well," added Nuno
"We were able to press and recover the ball, while controlling. We produced and should have done better in our final touch, final passes.
"But we had a good attitude and fought until the end. The boys competed well and they gave everything they had.
"There are negatives and things we have to improve, especially on the offensive part of the pitch. But we had a fantastic attitude."
