‘Devastating’ – Alan Shearer reacts to what Lucas Paqueta did ahead of West Ham United v Arsenal
Alan Shearer was left gutted as it appeared Lucas Paqueta had suffered an injury in the pre-match warmup for West Ham against Arsenal, although the Brazilian managed to start the game.
Paqueta appeared to go down with an injury and was assessed by physios before limping down the tunnel while he warmed up ahead of the clash with Arsenal at The Emirates.
The Brazilian went on to start the game but was withdrawn after going down pointing to his hamstring in the 32nd minute in what will be a bitter blow to the Hammers.
Speaking live on Prime Video [28 December, 19:59], Shearer insisted: “It’s terrible news for him and West Ham.
“It was just five minutes ago we were saying how big a threat they were because of his intelligence and how he links up so well with Kudus and Bowen, so for him to [potentially] miss out at this late stage is devastating.”
A blow to the Hammers
With Paqueta set to start for the Hammers at The Emirates, the news that he had felt a knock in the warmup would have heightened fears among the West Ham support and staff alike before he was cleared to start the game.
Now, though, having aggravated the injury to his hamstring during the game, concerns will peak again that the blow could be a serious one.
The tight fixture congestion, with this game coming just five days after the Hammers beat Manchester United at the London Stadium, can almost certainly be blamed for the latest blow, with the Brazilian given little time to rest and recover between starts.
Paqueta had stepped up massively in recent games, asserting his dominance in the league and his importance to David Moyes and West Ham, with his creative influence a key part of the way they set up with the fluid and rotational front three.
Having returned to the dressing room before the game, aided by the physios, it was a surprise to see the Brazilian return and start the game for the Hammers, and they would have hoped to see him last the full 90 minutes, but he now appears to have aggravated the issue.
In other West Ham news, a star player failed a late fitness test ahead of the game.