West Ham United sit in 17th place on the Premier League table with six games left. The Hammers are 14 points above Ipswich Town in the relegation zone and should be safe.
However, West Ham need all hands on deck to successfully navigate the rest of this disappointing campaign. The Irons are on a miserable run, failing to win any of their last five league matches.
Fortunately, next up for West Ham is already-relegated Southampton. It is a chance to pick up three vital points and turn a corner.
Ahead of the game, West Ham manager Graham Potter delivered a promising update on Michail Antonio and his recovery, four months after the striker suffered a broken leg in a devastating car crash.
Potter revealed the West Ham all-time Premier League top scorer is nearing a return to training.
“He is progressing, step by step,” said Potter. “He is away from us at the moment, just training, but he is due back soon. We are happy with how he is going. We are supporting him, and it is going well.”
Antonio, whom former manager David Moyes hailed as instrumental, has not played since West Ham suffered a 3-1 loss to Leicester City on December 3. He recently completed a 12-day warm-weather training stint in Dubai.
With his current deal expiring at the end of the season, Potter discussed his future but remained tight-lipped.
“Any contract discussions will remain, as you would expect, between the club and the player,” the English tactician said. “It is not for me to comment on that. When we have got something to announce, we will announce it.”
West Ham should not offer Antonio a new contract – View
West Ham cannot afford to be sentimental and offer Antonio a new contract. The club should give him a heroic send-off and let him leave for free.
Antonio was already declining, and the club must focus on signing a replacement. The first team is crying out for a lethal striker to spearhead the club back into one of the European places.
Antonio is past his prime, and West Ham must cut ties now and sort out the striker situation in the summer transfer window.