West Ham striker Michail Antonio not named in Jamaica squad
West Ham may have received a big boost after reports emerged that Michail Antonio hasn’t been picked in Jamaica’s squad for their next three games.
The 31-year-old striker was taken off shortly after the break in the 3-1 defeat against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday in the Premier League (20 March).
Antonio is the lone striker at the club and David Moyes is heavily reliant on him. He has scored nine goals and provided nine assists in all competitions so far.
His performance has dipped in recent months. While he has gone through barren spells in front of goal, he still remains a key player for the club.
Back in December, Moyes said (14 December) that Antonio has been “amazing” and “unbelievable” for them.
Antonio has made 36 appearances for the club in all competitions so far and he is badly in need of some rest.
The Jamaican striker played in both legs against Sevilla in the Europa League, and looked jaded against Spurs on Sunday.
There were fears that he could go to Jamaica to play their upcoming three qualifying matches. In that case, he would not have got the rest he needed.
However, according to a recent report from Voice-Online, Antonio hasn’t been picked in the 23-man squad. The country has decided to pick players from their domestic leagues for their next three qualifiers.
Jamaica will play against El Salvador, Canada, and Honduras. They cannot qualify for the World Cup following a dismal run of results.
The news will come as a massive boost for the club as Antonio can now rest and recharge his batteries ahead of a gruelling fixture schedule after the international break.
It is also a good opportunity for him to train with Moyes and improve on certain areas of his game. Most importantly, he will be fresh when club football resumes in two weeks’ time.
In other West Ham news, West Ham have option to re-loan ace next season, price to make deal permanent shared – Athletic