Wolverhampton Wanderers were subject to a Diogo Jota winner at Molineux as the former Wolves player took all three points back to Merseyside in favour of Liverpool. 

The result was overshadowed, however by a concerning injury to number one goalkeeper Rui Patricio who was stretchered off after colliding with a team-mate, Conor Coady. 

Nuno Espirito Santo was hopeful of the updates that were given on what seemed to be a concerning injury. 

  • On Rui Patricio's injury

When Patricio was stretchered off the Molineux turf after a sickening head collision with Coady's knee, fans and players were looking on and praying that the situation was not as bad as it seemed, and it seems those prayers were answered. 

Nuno gave an update on the Portuguese shot-stoppers condition. 

"We just had an update now and he's okay. He’s totally conscious and he remembers what happened. He’s aware, so it should be okay. We’ve spoken to the doctor and he told me he’s going to be okay. I think he was immediately assisted well by the doctors.

“Of course, we need to take the right precautions,

because it’s a concussion to the head, so it’s something we have to be aware of, but the first signs are okay.”

  • On the threat of concussions 

Concussions are one of the main health and safety threats in football, as seen earlier this season when Wolves striker Raul Jimenez was stretchered off after a sickening head collision and has missed three months of action due to a fractured skull which required surgery to amend. 

Nuno expressed his thoughts on the danger of concussions. 

“Every time there is a concussion in the head everybody on the pitch gets worried; the teammates, the opponents, because it’s a serious situation.

“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.”

  • On the defeat to Liverpool

Former Wolves man, Jota scored the winner in a narrow defeat to reigning champions, Liverpool. Nuno believes that Wolves played a good game and were unfortunate not to take advantage.

“I think we played a good game. First-half we started better, we dominated, we were competitive, we had chances, we covered the ball, we defended well, we coped with the speed of Liverpool and we played good football with some chances that we should take advantage of.

“It was a very competitive game. We played well, and we were able to control many of the situations Liverpool produced, being able to control their speed, control the deep. There are things we have to improve; better decisions, better passing, better finishing, but a fantastic effort from the players.

“It’s very difficult to play against Liverpool because there is always the danger of the speed, so we always have to stay balanced. But we have to recover the ball and go and take some risks. The result was not good, but the attitude was fantastic.”

  • On improvements needed on the final movements

Nuno believes that the game would have been much different if Wolves had the spark in the final third but was happy with the creativity that was shown.

“I think we needed the final pass, but the building and the creation was good. The players played a good game and were very competitive.

“The creation was there, we produced, so we must be accurate on the final touch. We will improve and we will be supportive of the players, because they have talent and they can do much better.

“It’s something that we always try but it’s difficult, these final touches, the final pass, the clinical situations that we need to finish and we need to improve.”

  • On the upcoming international break

With the international break on the horizon next week, Nuno will keep working on his players who are not with their national teams and preparing for the next game. 

“We will keep on working. Many of our players will go to nation teams, but we will have a lot who will stay here and we have a lot of work.

“It’s about working, and when we receive the players from national team it’s about moving from one-on-one to preparing for the next game. But we always keep engaged on our work.”