- Slaven Bilic expects both Andy Carroll and Michail Antonio to be fully fit for Saturday’s clash against Swansea City
- The pair were both replaced during the side’s 3-0 defeat to Arsenal on Wednesday
- But the problems both suffered should be nothing to worry about come the weekend, claimed the boss
West Ham United manager Slaven Bilic is hopeful that influential duo Andy Carroll and Michail Antonio will be fit and ready to take on Swansea City at London Stadium on Saturday.
The pair were both replaced in the Hammers’ 3-0 defeat at Arsenal on Wednesday, with Antonio coming off at half time, while the returning Diafra Sakho was introduced midway through the second period for Carroll.
And many feared the worst when their numbers came up due to respective injury problems that have kept them out of action in recent weeks.
Bilic moved to reassure supporters, however, that both are still in line to play their part in the vital Premier League clash against Swansea at the weekend.
About Carroll, he said: “Andy felt a groin at half time against Arsenal, but it was not major. It allowed him to play for another 15 minutes and then we wanted to replace him.
“This morning, it’s not worse – it’s OK. He has a good chance – he has a good chance of playing on Saturday, for sure.
“Andy is vital to us, of course. It’s vital on Saturday and we need everyone now that can help us in this situation.”
Antonio was recently withdrawn from Gareth Southgate’s England squad due to a hamstring strain, but the winger suffered no similar problems at the Emirates and was instead replaced for a different reason.
“For Mikey, the press connected it with a problem with his hamstring, and normally that would be the case when a player has recently come back from injury, so it’s normal,” Bilic continued.
“Fortunately, it had nothing to do with the hamstring, but it was just when we had the lunch yesterday at the hotel, he felt really sick, and he vomited a lot.
“The doctor and the medical staff gave him some vitamins and all that, and he was OK to try and play some part of the game.
“But at half time, we decided that we were going to basically take him off and rest him for Saturday.
“He is feeling much better this morning. He has stayed at home but he’s feeling much better. If it progresses like this, then he should also be good for Saturday. That’s it for injuries, basically.”