West Ham sweating over striker injury crisis which could force David Moyes into unwanted formation change
WEST HAM are sweating over a potential striker injury crisis.
Hammers pair Jarrod Bowen and Michail Antonio returned to the club’s Rush Green training centre in East London today nursing knee injuries.
GettyJarrod Bowen’s knee injury has left West Ham sweating[/caption]
Antonio faces a lengthy lay-off after suffering ligament damage while away with Jamaica, with fears he could be out for months.
SunSport understands Bowen’s knock is less serious, with the decision to leave Gareth Southgate’s England camp viewed as precautionary, having been an unused substitute against Malta on Friday night.
Southgate said: “I don’t think it’s going to be anything serious. But we just didn’t have enough time and we wouldn’t take a risk in that situation.”
However, Bowen will need a speedy recovery if he is to be fit for West Ham’s clash away at Burnley on Saturday.
Should both Bowen and Antonio miss the trip to Turf Moor, boss David Moyes will be left with an unwanted headache up top.
Danny Ings would be the obvious replacement to lead the line on paper, but the 31-year-old is out of sorts and out of fitness having had a poor start to the campaign when used.
Academy graduate Divin Mubama could be chucked in for his debut Premier League start, but Moyes has so far been reluctant to put too much pressure on the 19-year-old.
The likely option will be summer signing Mohammed Kudus being deployed down the middle, despite his blistering start to life at West Ham from a wide position.
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GettyWest Ham fear Michail Antonio could be ruled out for several months[/caption]
Tomas Soucek will be assessed also after picking up a nasty forehead cut from a stray boot during Czech Republic’s 1-1 draw with Poland.
Before these knocks, West Ham were enjoying one of the best injury records in the top flight this season, with their only absence of note coming briefly from skipper and central defender Kurt Zouma.
