Michail Antonio, the dynamic West Ham forward, has been seen taking part in full contact training, raising hopes for a timely return before the crucial Arsenal showdown.
David Moyes, the West Ham manager, could receive a significant lift for the upcoming Premier League battle against Arsenal this Sunday. With back-to-back victories against the Gunners already under their belt from previous encounters, the Hammers are eager to extend their winning streak, especially since their last triumph came against Arsenal at the Emirates on December 28th.
Amid challenges in achieving the right mix on the left side of the pitch, owing to injuries to key players like Lucas Paqueta and Michail Antonio, as well as the departures of Pablo Fornals and Said Benrahma, West Ham’s lineup has been craving balance.
Antonio’s potential return could be the solution Moyes has been searching for. The striker, sidelined due to an injury picked up during international duty with Jamaica in November, hinted at an imminent return to action during a recent appearance on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football, stating, “I’m not far off now, I’m back on the pitches so I should hopefully be back very soon.”
Just days before the highly anticipated match, Antonio was observed fully participating in training at Rush Green, indicating his recovery is on track. The club’s media team shared an image capturing Antonio in a robust training moment, defending the ball from Mohammed Kudus, simply tagged ‘Work’.
With Moyes revealing that Paqueta might return in ‘one or two weeks,’ the outlook seems promising for West Ham. Antonio’s versatility allows Moyes to strategize flexibly, potentially positioning him on either wing, or leading the attack, thereby adjusting Jarrod Bowen and Kudus’s roles to optimize the team’s performance.
