---
title: "Hammers fans fuming as Antonio forced off early against Newport"
canonical: "https://readwestham.com/2019/08/27/hammers-fans-fuming-as-antonio-forced-off-early-against-newport/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Alex Turk"
section: "Feature Writers"
published: "2019-08-27T19:11:57Z"
modified: "2019-08-27T19:14:15Z"
---

# Hammers fans fuming as Antonio forced off early against Newport

Plenty of West Ham United fans are fuming after Michail Antonio was forced off through injury just five minutes into tonight’s Carabao Cup game against Newport County.

The Hammers started brightly and Pablo Fornals played an inviting through ball for Antonio to run onto before the winger dramatically collapsed to the floor visibly in pain.

He instantly gestured to the bench that he had to be replaced and early fears suggest it looked like a torn hamstring, which has left many fans on social media questioning the club’s preparations:

> Twitter: @ExWHUemployee @NHo11and Serious questions of our staff here especially with our injury record, can’t have warmed up properly (@tobyoliver27)

> Twitter: @ExWHUemployee @NHo11and Oh bloody hell played to many friendlies before start of season, not good ![?](https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/12.0.0-1/svg/1f621.svg) (@coachdon45)

> Twitter: @ExWHUemployee @NHo11and Worst thing is he was through on goal. Out for 6 weeks minimum I reckon ![?‍♂️](https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/12.0.0-1/svg/1f926-200d-2642-fe0f.svg)![?‍♂️](https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/12.0.0-1/svg/1f926-200d-2642-fe0f.svg) (@Tjl19661)

> Twitter: @ExWHUemployee @NHo11and Absolutely gutted for him. Always got such a good attitude but doesn’t get the best luck. (@ChrisAdams014)

> Twitter: @ExWHUemployee @NHo11and It can’t be bad luck? Consistently get injuries like this under the last 5/6 managers. (@desouza1994)

### READ WEST HAM’S VERDICT

As annoying as it is, I don’t think it should result in Manuel Pellegrini’s team selection being questioned.

West Ham have one promising starlet in Conor Coventry on the bench and the fans suggesting Nathan Holland should’ve started instead would be the same people blaming Pellegrini if the night ends in defeat.

Antonio isn’t a cemented starter, and therefore was right to start the game, but he now could be out of action for longer than a month which comes as a huge blow.