West Ham will surely feel the absence of their top player Michail Antonio after the pivotal striker endured a knee injury, as highlighted by journalist Paul Brown.

The injury occurred during his appearance for Jamaica in their encounter with Canada on Saturday (18 November).

Nonetheless, as per The Athletic (21 November), the injury is not as severe as initially anticipated, with the forward anticipated to return within a month.

“It’s really disheartening to witness, but I think at times in the past a lot of people overlooked Antonio and he has repeatedly demonstrated that he’s a crucial part of this West Ham team,” Brown expressed to GIVEMESPORT. “They will genuinely miss his contributions as they’ve struggled to find a replacement capable of alleviating the pressure on him in that position. They are truly lacking depth up front.”

“I consider it a substantial setback for both him and the club. It significantly complicates the manager’s responsibilities between now and January.”

This season, Antonio has been heavily relied upon by Hammers manager David Moyes, featuring in 14 matches across all competitions. His major contributions have been in the Premier League, where West Ham holds the ninth position, with the striker also making two appearances in the Europa League.

While his goal tally of two may disappoint many Hammers fans, his overall impact is widely acknowledged, involving making runs, holding up the ball to involve others, and applying pressure on defenders.

It seems that Moyes will be without the 33-year-old for the near future, which implies that sidelined Danny Ings might assume a leading role up front. Ings has been excluded by Moyes this season but could emerge as a key player in the claret and blue as the East London club braces for an intense period across various competitions.