Wolves 0 Liverpool 1 - Report
Goalkeeper Rui Patricio was forced off with a head injury late on as Wolves lost 1-0 to Liverpool courtesy of former Molineux favourite Diogo Jota.
In eerily similar fashion to Raul Jimenez's injury at Arsenal earlier this season, Patricio appeared to be knocked unconscious after colliding with Conor Coady.
The Portuguese was tended to by medics for a lengthy period before having to be taken off on a stretcher, with a neck brace on.
Jota got the decisive goal on his first game back at Molineux amid a positive Wolves performance, but the focus is on Patricio and hoping the issue is not too serious.
Analysis
The condition of Patricio is the primary concern of everyone of a Wolves persuasion, and beyond, after an accidental coming together with Coady.
It was a sickening incident, just as Jimenez's was at the Emirates only a matter of months ago.
You could argue it is one that could have been avoided if assistant referees were not instructed to delay raising the offside flag these days, too.
The serious nature of that moment overshadowed the rest of the game, it must be said. It was worrying.
Jota – as many may have suspected – was on the mark against his old club, with a quick counter-attack on the stroke of half-time catching Wolves cold in an otherwise encouraging display.
Nuno Espirito Santo's side displayed good intensity throughout and, credit to them, even applied pressure after Patricio's injury.
They made the Reds work very hard for the three points and there were positives for the Wolves chief to take from this going into the international break, for sure.
But the main priority, above all, is getting Patricio the care that he needs and wishing him a healthy recovery.
Match report
Wolves made one change to the side which drew 0-0 at Villa, with Willy Boly returning to the back three after a hamstring issue.
He replaced Leander Dendoncker, who was on an eight-man bench which also included 18-year-old defender Christian Marques. Neither Rayan Ait-Nouri or Owen Otasowie made the squad.
Liverpool, meanwhile, started with Jota in attack – back at Molineux for the first time since joining the Reds in a deal worth up to £45million last summer – alongside big guns Mo Salah and Sadio Mane.
Wolves had stated their desire to start this game in a sharp manner, having developed a knack of producing tepid first halves, and they looked lively early on.
They appealed for a penalty as Alisson collided with the advancing Nelson Semedo, but referee Craig Pawson was not interested.
Semedo then surged forward again, cutting inside and seeing his left-footed attempt kept out by the Brazilian after some neat hold-up play from Adama Traore.
Wolves' forwards – happy to swap about – pressed well and forced Liverpool into mistakes. The intent and aggression was clear, and great to see.
Another well-worked attack saw Pedro Neto find Willian Jose, and he switched it over to Traore who, unfortunately, could not quite sort his feet out.
The hosts looked in control as Joao Moutinho calmly stroked the ball about in the middle of the park. Jose had a lot more urgency in his actions and effectively linked up play as well.
The Reds, naturally, had their moments. Hearts were in mouths when Mane rounded Patricio before his heavy touch took him too far wide.
The same player headed narrowly wide from Trent Alexander-Arnold's pinpoint cross, too.
But Wolves, all over the pitch, were doing well. Ruben Neves stung the palms of Alisson with a long-range free-kick, and then drove an effort wide of the far post – when he really should have hit the target – after being found by Jonny Castro Otto.
Nuno's pack were about to head into the dressing room very pleased with themselves, but they were caught cold on the counter-attack as Jota predictably got on the scoresheet against his former employers. A cruel sucker-punch.
Wolves, though, kept their heads up and continued to threaten. Coady had a big opportunity to score against his boyhood club shortly after the restart but, having been superbly picked out by defensive partner Romain Saiss, could not find the target.
The play was positive and Nuno's men were knocking on the door, however a familiar lack of ruthlessness was letting them down.
Neves played a lovely through-ball towards Neto, but Ozan Kabak managed to cut it out. Jose overcooked a pass intended for Traore, who then had a low cross clawed away by Alisson. Alexander-Arnold also snuffed out a Neves delivery to the far post.
Liverpool, interestingly, shook up their midfield as James Milner and Naby Keita replaced Gini Wijnaldum and Thiago.
Wolves swiftly made a switch of their own, too, as Fabio Silva was brought on for Jose, whose influence had waned up front. Dendoncker took the place of Neves a little later on, while Morgan Gibbs-White came on for Semedo in a last-ditch attempt to salvage something.
But all attention turned to Patricio after colliding with Coady. After a 12-minute stoppage and thorough attention from medical personnel, he was stretchered off and replaced by John Ruddy, as per the new concussion substitution rules.
Liverpool held on for the three points, with thoughts mainly on Patricio and hoping that he will be OK.
Teams
Wolves (3-4-3): Patricio (Ruddy, 90+10); Boly, Coady, Saiss; Semedo (Gibbs-White, 84), Moutinho, Neves (Dendoncker, 76), Otto; Neto, Jose (Silva, 69), Traore
Subs not used: Hoever, Kilman, Marques, Vitinha
Liverpool (4-3-3): Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Phillips, Kabak, Robertson; Fabinho, Thiago (Keita, 67), Wijnaldum (Milner, 67); Salah, Jota (Oxlade-Chamberlain, 81), Mane
Subs not used: Adrian (gk), N Williams, R Williams, Tsimikas, Jones, Shaqiri
Goal: Jota (45+2)
Referee: Craig Pawson (Sheffield)
