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Martin Skrtel is a defender with a history for shrugging off minor knocks—or for getting them wrapped in a head bandage and carrying on. When he remained prone on the pitch for nearly ten minutes in the early going against Blackburn, though, there was real concern for his well being. But Skrtel wasn’t one of those sharing in the concern.
"Everything’s alright," the defender wrote on his Instagram following the match as he prepared to head off for a few days away from football with his family after a quick visit to the hospital. "I was unconscious for a bit but glad it’s nothing serious. Wanted to carry on but fair play to the physios. They didn’t let me but that’s the rules. Thanks for all your support."
Given the apparent severity of the injury and that Skrtel had been unconscious for some time, that he wasn’t allowed back on was the obvious right call. It’s no surprise, though, that Skrtel wasn’t thrilled by not being able to go on playing—ripping off the head restraint as he was carried off and giving a demonstrative double-thumbs up to the crowd made that clear.
It’s also somehow not surprising that following a post-match visit to the hospital he was quickly cleared and allowed to head off on for a few days away with his family. There seems little question now, then, as to whether Skrtel will be fit and available to face Swansea when Liverpool travel to Liberty Stadium next Monday.
