West Ham United must try to wheel out injured Michail Antonio during the Premier League run-in.
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Antonio suffered a new hamstring injury in West Ham’s win at Wolves last time out.
West Ham insider Sean Whetstone, of Claret & Hugh, claims the Hammers striker has suffered a Grade 2 tear and faces up to two months out.
Confusion reigns over seriousness of Antonio injury as Moyes remains vague
But there has been no official confirmation from the club.
And West Ham boss David Moyes – who is famous for keeping injury and team news a closely guarded secret – remained extremely vague ahead of this weekend’s huge clash with Leicester.
Speaking in his pre-match press conference, the Scot simply said: “I don’t think Mick’s going to make this game.”
That has prompted some West Ham fans to believe Antonio’s injury may not be as bad as first feared.
Is Moyes playing the game to keep opposition manager’s guessing?
Or is there still hope Antonio’s injury may be manageable?
Footballers play on through injury all the time – could that be the case with Antonio?
Indeed is there even a chance the striker may be rushed back to play a part by operating in a different way so as to lessen the impact on his injured hamstring?
Footballers play on through injury all the time. West Ham only need to look to their not too distant past and the case of Angelo Ogbonna.
The Italian defender played on with a potentially serious knee injury until Slaven Bilic could sign a replacement – Jose Fonte – in the January while he had an operation.
Arthur Masuaku this season and last was playing through pain for months before deciding to have corrective surgery.
Whether Antonio could do that with this injury only those inside West Ham know.
It seems highly unlikely given the risk factors involved.
But pundit Paul Merson believes West Ham must wheel out a half fit Antonio if they can if they want to hold on to their Champions League dream (Daily Star).
Merson says West Ham must wheel out half-fit Antonio if they can to keep Champions League dream alive
“Michail Antonio is even more important for West Ham than Declan Rice and they can’t afford to lose him for the run-in,” Merson said in his Daily Star column.
“They need to hope Antonio’s hamstring injury isn’t too bad, and doesn’t get any worse over the next few weeks, because they need goals.
“Draws won’t get you into the Champions League.
“For me, Antonio is the best in the business at playing up front on his own. He occupies three or four defenders because he works so hard.
“If he plays and he’s not 100 per cent fit he’s not the same. But you know he will still give everything. If he can play they have to wheel him out there.
“They haven’t really got another striker who can play when he’s out and this is a once in a lifetime opportunity for West Ham.”
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