David Moyes has revealed that West Ham United’s Andriy Yarmolenko has suffered a knee ligament injury but has stressed that he remains optimistic over a short-term prognosis.
The Ukraine international spearheaded the Irons’ attack in last night’s FA Cup defeat away to Manchester United.
But Moyes brought Yarmolenko off for Ademipo Odubeko on 54 minutes in what looked a routine swap after the former Shakhtar Donetsk attacker – a £17 million signing in 2018 – appeared to move okay at the time of the substitution.
That being said, the West Ham boss has revealed that it was actually an enforced change after revealing that the 31-year-old – who has four goals and three assists this season – has damaged his knee.
Moyes said to Football London: “Yarmolenko has opened up his knee ligaments a little bit so we will assess them [him and Angelo Ogbonna] tomorrow and hopefully they won’t be too bad.”
This is the last thing that Moyes needs, a long-term injury, if it is.
West Ham were already without Michail Antonio through injury and after losing Sebastien Haller in January – and failing to replace him – the Hammers simply can’t afford to lose more attacking personnel.
This could yet be a momentous season for the East Londoners, who are sixth in the Premier League table and one point off the top four.
And it’d be an enormous shame if their season declines in a big way over their lack of attacking options through injury.
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