Liverpool defeated Wolverhampton 1-0 in an English Premier League match on Monday, with Diogo Jota scoring the game’s only goal against his former side. Wolves goalkeeper Rui Patricio was rushed off with a head injury.
In the second minute of first-half stoppage time, Jota, who spent three years at Wolves before joining Liverpool in September, drove in a low, first-time shot that squirmed into the corner. Patricio had a hand on the ball but couldn’t hold it out at the close range.
After being hit on the head by the knee of teammate Conor Coady, who was running back into his area in the 87th minute, the goalkeeper was unable to finish the game.
Coady was visibly concerned when medical personnel treated Patricio with caution for 10 minutes before transferring him to a stretcher.
After the game, Wolves manager Nuno Espirito Santo gave a positive update on Patricio’s health, saying, “He’s OK.” He is aware, he is conscious, and he remembers what happened. He’s fine.”
Raul Jimenez, a striker for Wolves, shattered his skull in a league match against Arsenal in November. On Monday, Jimenez was in Molineux’s vacant stands.
“When somebody is down so long and the doctors have to come on, football becomes irrelevant,” Liverpool defender Andrew Robertson said of Patricio.
“I know how it affects the lads, and they’ve had two (incidents) this season. He’s a great goalkeeper, and I hope to see him in front of the net again soon,” he said.
It was just Liverpool’s second league victory in the last eight games of a title defense that has crumbled in the second half of the season.
With nine games remaining in the Champions League qualification chase, the Reds improved two positions to sixth, but they remain five points behind fourth-placed Chelsea. Chelsea, along with three other teams vying for a place in the top four — Everton, West Ham, and Tottenham — all lost this weekend.
There are slight signs of a revival for the Reds, who also beat Leipzig last midweek to reach the Champions League quarterfinals and have held two straight clean sheets, thanks to the return of Jota to spark the attack and Fabinho in the holding midfield position.
In a low-quality match, however, there was nothing to choose between Liverpool and Wolves.
