West Ham United fans are worried a sudden glut of injuries could derail their best season for 35 years.
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Until now West Ham boss David Moyes has been relatively fortunate with injuries this season.
Only Arthur Masuaku – expected back next month – has been out for an extended spell.
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But West Ham’s only senior striker Michail Antonio missed the FA Cup defeat to Manchester United in midweek after being withdrawn in the draw at Fulham.
Moyes said it was because of ‘fatigue’. But pessimistic Hammers fans have been worrying that his troublesome hamstrings are injured again.
Then star defender Angelo Ogbonna and Andriy Yarmolenko picked up injures at Old Trafford. Ogbonna is expected to be out for a month while Yarmolenko could miss the rest of the season.
Jarrod Bowen was withdrawn at half-time despite West Ham’s lack of forward options. That – and some uncharacteristically low par performances of late – sparked fears he too had picked up a knock.
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Moyes then told whufc.com that Fabian Balbuena felt his hamstring in the warm-up so wasn’t risked.
Throw in Issa Diop’s concussion withdrawal and Darren Randolph’s injury issue and things were starting to look bleak ahead of Monday night’s game against Sheffield United.
But there has been some welcome positive news emerging from the treatment room ahead of the visit of the improving Blades.
According to the likes of West Ham insiders ExWHUemployee and Claret & Hugh, Hammers trio Antonio, Bowen and Balbuena should all be fit to face Chris Wilder’s side.
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Throw in the fact that new signing Jesse Lingard will come back into the team after being cup-tied and suddenly things do not seem so bad.
“Balbuena, Diop, Antonio and Bowen are all expected to be in line to play against Sheffield United!” ExWHUemployee said on his Patreon site.
“It’s too early to start a panic-up on that front (lack of strikers) as we understand Mikey Antonio is 99 per cent certain to be available for the Sheffield United on Monday,” Claret & Hugh claim.
Balbuena had been superb when in the side earlier this season.
And Lingard made an excellent start to life at West Ham with a brace on his debut at Aston Villa.
West Ham did not perform well at Fulham but Moyes will be hoping the Hammers can get back on track against the bottom of the table Blades.
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