West Ham ‘technician’ tipped for rare start after ‘worrying’ Michail Antonio update – pundit
Alex McLeish has suggested Andriy Yarmolenko could lead the line for West Ham against Sevilla on Thursday after Michail Antonio’s injury scare.
The former Scotland manager, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, insisted the 32-year-old showed his quality with his goal in Sunday’s 2-1 win over Aston Villa.
Yarmolenko replaced Antonio, 31, against the Villans after the Jamaica international suffered a muscle injury.
Speaking at his press conference today (16 March), Moyes confirmed Antonio faces a late fitness test ahead of tomorrow’s game.
The striker has not trained with the team but has been working with the fitness coaches.
With Jarrod Bowen also out of action, McLeish suggested Yarmolenko could make his first start since early February.
McLeish told Football Insider’s Russell Edge: “I always think Yarmolenko’s worth throwing on or starting him because he’s got a gift.
“He’s got a lovely left peg. It’s a wand of a foot really and you see with the shimmy with his right foot and he fired it in with his left.
“It was a really, really good technique and it had to be done in a specific manner in two seconds. That is down to a right good technician.
“I’m not saying he’s a world-beater, he probably doesn’t do it for 90 minutes but he is definitely capable of those moments.
“Could you see David Moyes moving him into the centre if Antonio isn’t quite ready? That’s a possibility. He is flexible.
“Antonio, it’s a worry for West Ham if he’s not in the team. At the same time, he sometimes goes on a wee dry run. Then it’s up to the likes of Yarmolenko, Bowen and Soucek.”
Yarmolenko has only started seven times across all competitions this season.
However, not one of those starts have come in the Premier League.
In other news, pundit claims West Ham could sign next Jarrod Bowen after transfer update.