Harry Redknapp shares Michail Antonio fears, delivers verdict on West Ham top-four chances
Harry Redknapp is adamant West Ham can push all the way and make a big play for Champions League qualification this season.
However, the former West Ham and Tottenham Hotspur manager suggests keeping Michail Antonio fit will be the key to achieving a top-four finish in the Premier League.
“They look solid, they work, they can play, they’ve got goals in them,” Redknapp said on talkSPORT Breakfast [02/11/21].
“The only fear I’m sure for everybody, for all the fans, is if Antonio gets injured they’re short of a frontman. They will miss him because he leads the line.
“They’ve moved [Jarrod] Bowen in there and he’s played there but he plays wide.
“They will miss Antonio if he gets a knock but other than that they’re in great shape and at the moment they’ve got a great chance of finishing fourth this year, why shouldn’t they?
“I don’t see them being up there and finishing in the top three but certainly I could see them pushing all the way for a Champions League spot, that would be fantastic for the club.”
January moves?
West Ham are currently fourth in the Premier League table, level on points with third-placed Manchester City.
What’s more, their most likely Champions League rivals are at a low ebb.
Manchester United are a club in crisis on the pitch while Tottenham Hotspur have just sacked their manager.
Arsenal, meanwhile, are on the rise, but they’re still on match for this West Ham side.
The Irons have a terrific opportunity to achieve a top-four finish.
Of course, there was a great chance last season, but the club couldn’t get it over the finishing line.
That’s partly because of the failure to sign another centre-forward during the winter transfer window.
Jesse Lingard joined on loan and made a huge impact, but the ambition of the Irons will be revealed this January – if they are really set on the Champions League, they will sign a striker to deputise and compete with Antonio.
If not, they can probably forget about it.
In other West Ham news, the Irons want to sign this ‘Brilliant’ £25.3m South-American centre-mid who won a big 2021 cup.
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