West Ham are without a win in six and have just one in their last eight games and now face the daunting task of travelling to north London to take on Arsenal who are in an equally poor run of form.
Slaven Bilic is dealing with another swathe of injuries at the London Stadium and has been speaking this morning ahead of tomorrow’s game about where the club stands on their injured stars.
“[Aaron] Cresswell is out. He will miss the next couple of games and will return to training next week,” Bilic confirmed this morning.
The England international left-back went off injured at Hull and Arthur Masuaku is expected to stand in for Cresswell at Arsenal.
As for club top scorer Michail Antonio, who has been sidelined for the last three weeks due to a hamstring injury which forced him out of Gareth Southgate’s England squad for the games against Germany and Lithuania, may return at Arsenal.
“Antonio is back. Mikey is available for tomorrow night and we’ll decide today if he’s going to start. It’s a big boost for us as he’s been great.”
Diafra Sakho has been out since November with a back injury and has been working hard in training lately, with Bilic stating that he could return tomorrow.
“Diafra is back and when you talk to him he says he is ready. He was out for a long time, had a back operation, and looks good. Diafra may be on the bench tomorrow. I haven’t decided yet, but he is very, very close.”
The striker missed the early months of the season with a thigh problem and returned in late November for two games, scoring at Manchester United, before suffering a recurrence of a back injury he suffered last season which has kept him out for the last few months.
In the last few days, the board have given Bilic a vote of confidence following the club’s poor game and slip down the table and the manager says he’s grateful for it.
“I don’t have to read the ‘papers to know my relationship with the Board. I talk to the Chairman before and after every game.
“It’s nice to hear it, but I know I have the confidence of the Board. When I wasn’t worried before, I’m not relieved now.”
There has been talk of Bilic being sacked at the end of the season but for now, he seems to have the support of his bosses.
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