Jarrod Bowen update emerges ahead of late West Ham United fitness test v Bayer Leverkusen
A report has claimed that Jarrod Bowen is “set to be fit” for West Ham United ahead of their Europa League quarter-final second-leg clash with Bayer Leverkusen on 18 April.
Hammers boss David Moyes had previously suggested he was “not sure” if the forward would be able to be involved from the start in the crunch clash, which the London side come into trailing 2-0 on aggregate.
However, a new report suggests the England international winger will, in fact, be fit to start.
PA Media posted on X [17 April]: “Jarrod Bowen (hip) looks set to be fit for West Ham’s bid for an unlikely Europa League comeback against new Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen tomorrow night.”
Having Jarrod Bowen back would boost West Ham United’s chances
A potential return for Bowen could transform the Hammers’ chances of what would be a shock comeback against Leverkusen.
Xabi Alonso’s side clinched the Bundesliga title with a 5-0 win over Werder Bremen on 14 April, with Florian Wirtz scoring a hat-trick – a result which stretches their astonishing unbeaten run across all competitions to 43 games.
For West Ham to overturn their 2-0 first-leg deficit, they would have to become the first side this season to beat the Bundesliga champions – and do so by a three-goal margin, or risk the lottery of extra time and penalties.
However, as difficult a task as it is that Moyes’ men are faced with, having top scorer Bowen in their ranks can do their chances no harm.
The 27-year-old has netted 19 goals in all competitions this term, six more than the next-highest scorer in the West Ham squad – Mohammed Kudus.
Bowen is undoubtedly the side’s talisman and if anyone in a Hammers shirt can cause a team unbeaten in 43 games problems, it would be him.
In other West Ham news, shareholder Daniel Kretinsky is in talks over a ‘shock’ bid to take over Royal Mail.
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