As West Ham United prepare to visit Derby County, for a Monday night FA Cup 4th round tie at Derby County, most of the team news relates to the transfer window, not injuries and fitness. Striker Michail Antonio currently playing behind Gianlucca Scamacca in the rotation, said he could still leave the club before deadline day comes and goes on Tuesday.
“Honestly, I’ve not ruled anything out. That’s all I can say,” The Hammers’ all-time leading Premier League scorer said to the Footballers’ Football podcast. “Nothing has been ruled out. There are talks, so whatever happens, happens.”
FA Cup 4th Round FYIs
Kick-off time: 7:45 PM GMT, 30 January 2023, Pride Park Stadium
West Ham United Starting XI Prediction: go here
Transatlantic Passage: How the Premier League Redefined Soccer in America: LINK
Stat Pack: Derby have won their last 3 FA Cup ties, with a goal difference of 10-1
Series History: This is just the second meeting between two sides in the FA Cup, with the first coming exactly a century ago. The Hammers won, 5-2, in the semifinal round.
Manager David Moyes met the media earlier today, and he made the following remarks about Antonio’s comments:
“Micky is someone who has been talking about his future, rather than the club. Danny would be cup-tied for this game and we hope he’s not going to miss too much. He’s had an injection in his knee and we hope to have him back quite quickly.
“We felt we could add to what we’ve got. I don’t see us spending more money, but this world changes quickly.”
The Danny he is referring to is Ings, who moved over for £12 million from Aston Villa last week. His acquisition provides even more competition for Antonio, and thus, reason for him to leave. He’s been linked with Wolves, and some unnamed Major League Soccer clubs. Given what Moyes said there about Danny Ings, it sounds like the new acquisition is a strong doubt at best, or maybe already ruled out of the Monday night football match.
David Moyes doesn’t see Michail Antonio going anywhere.
“We have no intention of doing anything,” the Scotsman said.
“We want Mick here, playing well, scoring goals and we’ll be happy to have him. We brought in the players we wanted in the summer, then brought in Danny Ings a week ago. I’m not saying we won’t do any other business or if nobody will leave before the deadline.
Asked about any more deals between now and deadline day, Moyes said: “Nothing is in the pipeline at the moment, but there are four or five days to go before the deadline.”
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He’s written for numerous publications, including the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. He regularly appears on NTD News and WGN News Now. Follow the website on Twitter and Instagram.