Steven Anderson has escaped without serious injury following a “slammed” elbow to his face in St Johnstone’s Europe League clash with Alashkert on Thursday night.
Manager Tommy Wright had feared his centre-back had fractured his cheekbone, but a medical examination has ruled that out.
His face is badly bruised and he was concussed, but Anderson will be back in training in a week.
Manager Tommy Wright explained: “Ando hasn’t fractured his eye socket or his cheekbone so he’s been very lucky.
“He was knocked out and was then vomiting so they kept him in hospital overnight. He’s been concussed so he’ll be out for seven days because of that.
“His eye is really swollen, it’s up like a boxer’s, but it’s just a good thing he’s such a tough boy.
“I have watched the incident a few times now and it’s one of the craziest decisions I’ve ever seen.
“The boy has slammed an elbow into him but the ref gave the free kick the other way. Then he’s booked Ando and also eventually booked their boy. It was really poor.
The medical report on Anderson was a much-needed piece of good news after Saints’ Europa exit and an ever-increasing injury list.
“We were desperate to get through and it’s hugely disappointing that we didn’t,” Wright reflected.
“If we had progressed I would only have 10 first-team players for going to Khazakhstan. The injury list we’ve got at the moment is horrendous.
“We’re playing Real Sociedad on Sunday but I have a few trialists lined up to come in for that game so that will help us out numbers wise.”
Wright is likely to hand starts to trialists Liam Craig, Jim McAlister and Rhys McCabe against Davie Moyes’ side tomorrow.
Saints have been linked in Ireland to Linfield winger Ross Clarke.