West Ham United’s David Moyes provides an injury update on Michail Antonio and Ben Johnson before of their match against Freiburg.
David Moyes has announced that West Ham United forward Michail Antonio has not traveled with the squad for Thursday’s Europa League match against Freiburg.
West Ham United, inspired by their weekend Premier League victory over Sheffield United, head to Germany to face Freiburg, both hoping to make it three wins in the Europa League group stages.
The Hammers manager stated during his Wednesday evening news conference (4 October) before of the encounter that defender Ben Johnson will also miss the game owing to a minor injury.
Moyes stated:
“Michail Antonio hasn’t been anywhere.” He is injured. Aaron Cresswell is still sidelined, and Ben Johnson has an injury as well.”
West Ham United fans may be concerned by Moyes’ update, but given Antonio’s recent history with injuries and his present ability to play within a high turnover of games, there is hope that his stay in the UK will keep him fit for Sunday’s critical game against Newcastle United.
The Jamaican international is vital to Moyes and his West Ham club, and the speed and aggression with which he plays means he simply cannot play in two games in three days, therefore the Hammers manager made a wise decision.
Freiburg is a difficult place to go, as the top teams in Germany have discovered, and while Antonio could have been handy, Moyes still has some quality choices available, with Danny Ings having to establish his worth given his recent troubles.
Johnson hasn’t played much this season, but his latest injury is a major setback given that he’s also attempting to impress Moyes.
The Rush Green academy graduate may be playing his final few months in a West Ham United shirt, as his future appearances are extremely questionable.
In other West Ham news, a veteran player has responded negatively to his manager’s choice and is poised to quit the club soon.
