West Ham United: Michail Antonio blasted after what Hammers star did live on Sky Sports
Frank McAvennie has urged Michail Antonio to keep his focus on getting fit at West Ham after his appearance on Monday Night Football live on Sky Sports (5 February).
The 33-year-old has been suffering from a knee injury since November and has not played a single minute for the Hammers since a 3-2 win over Nottingham Forest on 12 November 2023.
The Jamaican international was invited by Sky Sports to provide some analysis of Manchester City’s 3-1 win over Brentford in the Premier League along with Jamie Carragher where he also shared an update on his recovery.
“I’m not far off now. I’m back on the pitches so I should, hopefully, be back very soon,” he said live on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football (5 February, 6:35pm).
Speaking to West Ham Zone, McAvennie said: “It would have been great to see Jarrod Bowen come off the right-hand side against Manchester United with Danny Ings up top and Mohammed Kudus on the left.
“Because I don’t know where Antonio is or what he’s doing, I mean I saw him live on the TV looking like a French fruit seller, my God.
“He’s got some unbelievable bravery going up there when you know you’re injured and your team has lost over the weekend. He needs to stick to his football and get back fit.
“But it is what it is, footballers nowadays, it’s all about fashion over fitness and I don’t agree with that at all.”
Antonio better have got approval at the London Stadium
It was rather strange seeing the Jamaican international live on Sky Sports given all that’s going on at West Ham right now both on and off the pitch but it’s not surprising at the same time.
Antonio is a player who is known to want to get his feelings across and to have his say in front of the cameras and a Sky Sports appearance live on air was always on the cards for him.
Whether David Moyes knew about it or not remains to be seen, but Antonio better have got approval from the club before going live on air on Monday Night Football or there could be some backlash.
It seems clubs won’t allow such an appearance without it though so Antonio could well have been in his right to do it but fans will have been encouraged by his injury update.
The Hammers are without a win since their 2-0 victory over Arsenal at the end of December, feeling the pressure of having to play without Bowen, Lucas Paqueta and Kudus.
Antonio was not having the best of returns prior to his injury but his availability offers Moyes the opportunity to utilise a more out-and-out forward than either side of Bowen and Kudus.
In other West Ham news, Moyes has shared an update on his contract situation at the London Stadium
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