#PLStories- #RaulJimenez waiting on ‘test’ as #NunoEspiritoSanto issues latest injury update #WOLVESFC

Nuno Espirito Santo recently relayed his belief that Raul Jimenez will don Wolverhampton Wanderers' colours once again this season. The Mexican striker suffered what many presumed would be a season-ending injury at The Emirates in November following a clash of heads with Arsenal defender David Luiz. Scans later showed Jimenez had fractured his skull and he underwent an emergency operation at hospital in London to repair the damage. There were doubts over whether Jimenez would be able to resume his career, but the 29-year-old quickly signalled his intention to play football again. And speaking before Wolves' game at Chelsea in January, Nuno explained how he believed Jimenez could even play again this season. Here is everything we know about Jimenez's injury situation as he gears up for a return to action.... Video Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will auto-play soon8Cancel What actually happened? “As the skull is hit there’s acceleration and deceleration,” explains Antonio Belli, Professor of Trauma Neurosurgery at Birmingham’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital. “The brain effectively accelerates and decelerates within the skull. There’s no space for the brain to move but what that means is that different parts of the brain - grey mass, white mass - all accelerate at a slightly different rate. "If you have suffered linear acceleration it’s not that bad. But as soon as you rotate the head then you cause straining of the nerve, particularly the axons which are the long strands that connect different nerve cells. They are particularly vulnerable because they are long and if you strain them you can suffer damage on the inside. “You get chemicals that are released through the nerves that cause unconsciousness. The brain stops working in certain areas temporarily. What you need to repair is the damage inside the nerve cells and that can take days, it can take weeks, it can take months.” A timeline of Jimenez's recovery A timeline of Raul Jimenez's recovery November 29: Jimenez fractures his skull in a clash of heads with David Luiz. November 29/30: Undergoes an operation to repair the damage at hospital in London. December 6: Discharged from hospital and allowed to return home to his family. December 10: The striker visits Wolves' training ground and is reunited with Nuno and his teammates. December 27: Attends Wolves' game with Tottenham Hotspur. He's watched every game at Molineux since. January 6: Wolves report that Jimenez has resumed light training in the gym. January 26: Nuno reveals his belief that Jimenez could play again this season. February 18: Nuno confirms Jimenez is taking part in some training with his teammates. Nuno's latest update Wolves' head coach recently told reporters that he is 'totally confident' Jimenez will play before this season finishes against Manchester United on May 23. Jimenez has been involved in some of the non-contact training drills with his teammates, including passing exercises, but he isn't allowed to partake in any match situation. “He’s doing well, he’s improving, he’s been able to join some parts of the training session,” Nuno said. “We expect him to progress with his fitness. He is doing good, he’s feeling well, he’s happy, but we have to take the same measures and precautions as we always do. “We follow the protocols and we’re guided by that. It’s a very delicate situation and we cannot afford any kind of mistake.” Jimenez is still waiting to receive the green light from his surgeon to resume competitive training. Read More Related Articles Read More Related Articles The 'test' that awaits Jimenez Jimenez need look no further than one of his striking predecessors at Molineux for inspiration. Don Goodman fractured his skull playing for Wolves in 1996 and returned successfully. Like Jimenez, Goodman was renowned for being good with his head and offered some insight into the psychological barrier Wolves' number nine will have to overcome before his comeback. “I had a moment in training where I was wearing a skullcap still because I wasn’t allowed to head the ball,” Goodman explains. “I was joining in five-a-side and a ball was smashed straight towards my face and human nature made me duck my head, put my chin on my chest, and I took it on the top of the head. “It smacked me right where the fracture was and knocked me off my feet. Training stopped and the lads piled round me. I was giggling on the floor because I knew after that moment that I was OK. That was the test for me. “Raul will have his own test, whether that’s heading a ball in training or clashing heads.” Read More Related Articles Read More Related Articles