West Ham boss dedicates “special” victory to Antonio after saying that the forward spoke to his teammates on video call.
West Ham boss Julen Lopetegui dedicated his side’s win over Wolves to stricken star Michail Antonio.
Before kickoff, Antonio, who is in the hospital recovering from surgery for a fractured leg, was feeling well enough to talk to his teammates via video link.
West Ham, who were devastated by the forward’s accident on Saturday afternoon, have had a challenging buildup. Lopetegui, who has been on the verge of being fired, recognised the importance of a victory and how it increased the pressure on Wolves manager Gary O’Neil.
“We are happy for the fans,” West Ham’s manager said. “Above all we dedicate the victory to Michail and his family. It has been very tough. We love Michail a lot. He is a special person. He is strong and I am sure he is going to overcome this and come back. The best thing we can do today is get the victory. We are very happy for the three points.”
Jarrod Bowen, who scored the game-winning goal, revealed a shirt with Antonio’s name on the back as West Ham commemorated their teammate with special training tops. Inspiration also came from the conversation with Antonio prior to the game.
“We had one bit of contact with him,” Lopetegui said. “He was happy to do this. He was not in his best moment but despite this he kept his humour. It was a special moment for us before the match. We have a lot of reasons to win matches but this is special.
“He had a big accident but he has the possibility to come back. He is alive and we are happy because the pictures were terrible. We have to enjoy our professional life. It can change in one moment. We have to focus on our daily work. Sometimes it is hard. It is a good example for my young players.”
O’Neil, whose side remain in the bottom three, vowed to keep fighting. But there is a strong chance that Wolves sack the 41-year-old on Tuesday. “I understand the noise and scrutiny,” O’Neil said. “We were tipped to be relegated last season and we achieved some unbelievable things. The players are giving everything. They’re still fighting for me. Still fighting for the fans. I’m disappointed.”