Michail Antonio, a striker for West Ham United, has not travelled with the team for Thursday’s Europa League match against Freiburg, according to David Moyes.
Spurred on by their Premier League victory over Sheffield United over the weekend, West Ham travels to Freiburg in Germany to play both teams in an attempt to make it two wins in a row in the Europa League group stages.
During his press conference on Wednesday, October 4, ahead of the game, the Hammers manager also disclosed that defender Ben Johnson will not play because of a minor injury he sustained.
Says Moyes:
“Michael Antonio has not taken any trips. He’s got a wound. In addition to Ben Johnson’s minor injury, Aaron Cresswell remains out.
Fans of West Ham United may be concerned about Moyes’ update, but considering Antonio’s past injury history and his current capacity to play in a high volume of games, it is hoped that his stay in the UK will keep him fresh for Sunday’s pivotal match against Newcastle United.
It’s a wise move on the part of Moyes, the West Ham manager, as the Jamaican international is so important to the team and cannot play in two games in three days due to his speed and aggression.
The best teams in Germany have already discovered how difficult Freiburg is, and although Antonio might have been helpful, Moyes still has some excellent options at his disposal. Given Danny Ings’ recent struggles, it will be up to Ings to prove his worth.
Johnson hasn’t played much this season, but given that he’s also trying to prove himself to Moyes, this new injury is a major setback.
The Rush Green academy product may be playing his final few months in a West Ham United jersey because it’s highly unlikely that he’ll play again after this.
In other West Ham news, a senior man is expected to depart the team after reacting negatively to his manager’s decision.
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