Manuel Pellegrini appears ready to decide on Michael Antonio’s involvement against Wolves during this afternoon following his return from the injury sidelines.
Talking to reporters ahead of the game, the manager said: “Antonio is coming from a long injury and surgery so we must be careful in when he plays. That’s why he got just 45 minutes against Tottenham and then 75 minutes against Chelsea.
We need to see if it is a risk for him to play again because the recovery time between the two games is just three days so we need to decide with the medical staff.
We must be careful not to force him too much in these first few games. I said after the game against Spurs that he was fresh, mentally, because he was not participating in the defeats,
He had a lot of desire to play because for three of four months he didn’t and that’s the mentality that all the players must have during the whole season.
He always makes an impact in the way he plays, not just this season but he finished last season well also.”
He also revealed that goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski is working normally saying: “Probably he will be ready at the end of the month but the same as Antonio, I think that we must be careful with return and not bring him in before he is absolutely ready.
He is training, not normally because he is not with the squad, but he is training.”
Pelligrini pondering ! . That’s a novelty . The whole team looked more confident without Roberto between the sticks and it showed . The nerves of going forward were to some extent negated . Antonio was at his reliable give it everything . Hope he isn’t too damaged . Noble as always is Captain Iron and we need him despite his age . Rice definitely needs him . The excuses are now running very thin and Pelligrini needs to get this team together and motivated . He is still on thin ice and needs to get his skates on . Tonight is maybe just as important as last Saturday against Chelsea . To lose that momentum would be catastrophic.
COYHAMMERS