David Moyes has provided a positive update on West Ham’s striker situation, saying Jarrod Bowen is pushing to be fit for Burnley on Saturday and that Michail Antonio’s injury should only sideline him for around two weeks.
Bowen pulled out of the England squad while Antonio was hurt while representing Jamaica, both damaging their knees as the Hammers were left worrying about the repercussions of this international break.
Those withdrawals led to talk of a centre forward crisis for West Ham, with Danny Ings their only other striker available unless academy starlet Divin Mubama is thrown into the Premier League.
Yet Moyes played down the injuries at his pre-match press conference on Friday afternoon, saying: ‘We hope Jarrod will be available against Burnley but we will make a decision on that (on Saturday).
‘Michail has got a small injury. It’s not serious. It will probably keep him out for a couple of weeks. I think, give or take, two weeks. I don’t want to nail down an exact time but about that long.’
Jarrod Bowen has scored in all six of West Ham’s away games so far in the Premier League
Michail Antonio injured in his knee while on international duty for Jamaica and will not play
Bowen has scored in all six of West Ham’s Premier League away games this season, having recently signed a new seven-year contract with the club.
If he does not pass his late fitness test ahead of Burnley, that would be a blow for the Hammers – as well as the thousands of Fantasy Football enthusiasts who will risk including him in their weekend selections after Moyes’ comments.
Moyes was also quizzed on the 10-point deduction handed to his former club Everton and said: ‘I’m disappointed for the club generally. Sean Dyche has done a good job and the club has been stabilising themselves. It sounds like there’s been something that the Premier League have had to jump in.
‘There are rules and we all have to abide by rules in every walk of life, and it is no different for football clubs. I think Everton, even with the position they’re in, have a great chance of being a Premier League football club next season.’
