West Ham United manager Manuel Pellegrini has revealed that took forward Marko Arnautovic off early during their FA Cup clash with Birmingham as a precaution.
As reported on the Evening Standard, the Austrian was taken off after only 20 minutes of play at the London Stadium.
As he trudged off the field, it was clear to see that he was angry with the decision and exchanged words with Pellegrini on the touchline.
Hammers fans were concerned that their star forward could be set for more time out of action but Pellegrini has eased those fears.
He said:
He felt some pain in his back at the beginning. I thought that it was better to change him because he is just coming off another injury and he played 90 minutes less than 72 hours ago.
After that, he could continue but I think it was not good to take the risk. It was just a precaution.
The Hammers face a London derby against Arsenal this weekend and know that they’ll need a fully fit Arnautovic if they are to trouble Unai Emery’s side.
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