West Ham boss Manuel Pellegrini has confirmed club captain Mark Noble and Michail Antonio are ready to feature in Saturday’s London derby versus Tottenham Hotspur. The pair were facing a race against time to be fit for this huge lunch-time clash but both have been declared fit and ready – handing an out-of-form Hammers side a major boost.
Noble was injured in the recent defeat at Burnley but Antonio hasn’t played since the club’s 4-0 defeat at Oxford United in the Carabao Cup and it is likely the club’s supporters cannot wait to see them back in the famous claret and blue. West Ham’s problems have been well documented but their opponents Tottenham Hotspur have had plenty of issues of their own.
Their failure to win an away game in the league since January was a contributing factor to the sacking of Mauricio Pochettino earlier this week but with Jose Mourinho now in the hot-seat, the Hammers could be forced to contend with some form of new manager bounce.
TIF Tactics – Hope for the Hammers
Very few people understand what this weekend’s game means to the club’s supporters more than Noble and Pellegrini will be hopeful the return of his skipper will inspire the rest of the team both on the field and in the dressing room.
Antonio, a fans favourite at the London Stadium, has only made four appearances in all competitions this season – just one of a long list of issues the East London club have been forced to contend with since the very start of the campaign.
It remains to be seen whether the return of the pair will be enough of a boost for the Irons to put the old enemy to the sword but they should take great encouragement from the fact Spurs find themselves just a solitary point ahead of the Hammers.