West Ham United boss David Moyes is confident injured striker Michail Antonio will make a speedy return to the side.
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The Hammers were rocked this week when Antonio was ruled out for a month with a new injury to his troublesome hamstrings.
It came after he was substituted against both Tottenham and Manchester City after feeling discomfort in the area.
Antonio makes West Ham tick, playing the lone striker role so effectively in Moyes’s wingback formation.
Hammer blow for Moyes as key man Antonio is ruled out
West Ham supporters are gutted he has been ruled out just as the side were building what promised to be a positive season after superb recent results and performances.
Antonio has been ruled out for a month according to the likes of talkSPORT.
But Moyes revealed in his pre-match press conference that he is confident Antonio will be back sooner than expected.
“I think Micky is really positive about his injury,” Moyes said in his pre-match press conference (Blood Red & Claret & Hugh).
Moyes predicts speedy recovery
“We’ve already got him on the bike and he’s moving which for the type of injury we’re really pleased with.
“He had another scan and an ultrasound yesterday as well. He’s in a good place. The big thing for Mick, it’s the fittest I’ve seen him – and maybe people have been seeing West Ham a lot longer.
“But certainly it’s fittest Micky Antonio has been (since I have been here). There was a long period where Micky couldn’t play for 90 minutes, you’d have to take him off…
‘We’re hopefully going to get him back quite quickly’
“It’s nowhere like the level. That’s also due to the strength work he’s involved in, the work he’s doing.
“He’s much more aware of his body now, what he needs to do, his prep for games and his recovery work after them.
“So for all those reasons, I think we’re hopefully going to get him back quite quickly.”
West Ham fans will certainly hope so.
Particularly given the easier run of games – on paper at least – on the horizon over the next two or three months.
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