Ben Johnson was tonight described as very unlikely to make the under 23s trip to Middlesbrough tomorrow night but not because of a pending West Ham first team call-up.
Instead, we were told this afternoon the player has picked up a knock and having missed the game against 2-0 win over West Brom.
It is of course all smoke and mirrors at this time of the week but there seemed to be a certainty about the news he would be missing both from the Riverside and the squad for Manchester United.
Wewere told earlier that having failed to recover sufficiently, no risks were being taken with the youngster who was believed to be in the frame for a possible first team squad place given the suspension imposed on Arthur Masuaku game from the Aston Villa game.
And it seems too that Winston Reid – who backroom staff have been planning to include on Teeside -will be held back until the next game against Sunderland at Dagenham next Sunday.
Medical staff have had second thoughts about his readiness for action following a long term knee injury with a well placed Hammers source explaining on the phone: “Everybody wants to be 100 per cent certain Winston is 100 per cent ready and happy. There is no huge rush or urgency and this no need to take any kind of risk.
“Ben is carrying a small injury and looks to be unavailable for tomorrow’s game against Middlesbrough.”
