Before we start, we’re not saying that West Ham were one man away from beating both Crystal Palace and Everton in their last two Premier League clashes. However, given the recent struggles that the Irons have been going through if they had Michail Antonio fully fit they’d be in a much better place.
The Hammers are struggling with options at the top end of the pitch and the more influential midfielders have been failing to have an impact in front of goal so far. Between the three of them, Pablo Fornals, Felipe Anderson and Manuel Lanzini have scored just one goal, Transfermarkt, and that’s not good enough.
The extra goals that the Irons are lacking could come from any of the three midfield men named above, but when Antonio comes back he will undoubtedly be key to adding extra goals that aren’t coming from the boots of the main man Sebastien Haller, who so far this season has bagged four times in his first eight Premier League games, Transfermarkt.
It was confirmed by whufc.com back in mid-September that Antonio had undergone successful surgery to fix a hamstring tear, and whilst a return date is yet to be specified, the fans should be pleased that every day that goes by brings Antonio closer to getting back on the pitch.
The former Nottingham Forest man, who has played three times for the Irons this season as a left-winger, right-winger and centre-forward, Transfermarkt, bagged seven goals and seven assists for the Irons last season, and those 14 goal contributions were key at times.
One of those goals was the first-ever winning goal for an away side at The Tottenham Hotsour Stadium (BBC), and whilst the Hammers aren’t relying on Antonio for big winning goals, the added firepower he brings is key, and given that they’re lacking those extra goals from midfield, having him back in the side sooner rather than later will be absolutely crucial.
