David Moyes counts on West Ham winger Andriy Yarmolenko ahead of EL clash
West Ham will take on Sevilla in the Europa League second leg on Thursday (17 March) and David Moyes is counting on Andriy Yarmolenko.
The Ukraine striker came on as a substitute against Aston Villa and broke the deadlock as the Hammers won 2-1 in their previous game.
The London outfit are trailing by 1-0 from the first leg, but there is the confidence that they can pull it off at home turf.
With Michail Antonio doubtful for this game, Moyes has suggested that Yarmolenko “certainly” will be needed against the La Liga giants.
The Hammers boss said as quoted by Football London: “He seems okay at the moment. When you have a moment like that, sometimes it takes a little bit to come back from it – you get such a high, it’s not easy.
“It was a really important moment for him and for us – he got us a goal which mattered so much – and sometimes to get back to those levels quickly is not so easy. He’s fit and available at the moment and he’ll certainly be needed in the game tomorrow.”
Huge game
Michail Antonio and Aaron Cresswell both picked up muscle injuries in the second half against Villa and they were taken off.
Yarmolenko replaced Antonio and he was superb during the game.
He broke the deadlock and then broke down in the process. It is hard to imagine what emotional turbulence he must have gone through as we all know that Ukraine has been involved in a war with Russia.
While Moyes is hoping that Antonio can play some part in the game, he has made it very clear that Yarmolenko will be needed.
Moyes used Yarmolenko in the striker role, which is not his natural position, but he is an experienced player. He adapted very well against Villa, and could lead the line as well on Thursday.
Meanwhile, the Hammers could lose Cresswell, which will be a big blow. It will require a solid effort from all the players tomorrow, and it seems the Hammers are ready to put in a strong fight.
In other West Ham news, The Athletic shares how little Andriy Yarmolenko has been able to train before his goalscoring return.
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