West Ham United is facing uncertainty over when Lucas Paqueta will return to action, as the club’s manager, David Moyes, has expressed concerns that the Brazilian midfielder’s calf injury might be more complex than initially anticipated.
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Since suffering an injury during a match against Bristol City in the FA Cup, Paqueta has been absent from the field. This setback followed a previous injury he sustained in a victory over Arsenal at the end of December. Although there were initial worries that Paqueta might be sidelined for as long as two months, he has been actively sharing updates on his recovery process through social media, offering glimpses of his rehabilitation efforts and instilling hope among supporters for a speedy recovery.
An early injury forces Lucas off.
⚒️ 0-0 🟡 (14′) | @Scope_Markets pic.twitter.com/3DsIW2YbVm
— West Ham United (@WestHam) February 11, 2023
However, the 26-year-old midfielder has not resumed training and is set to miss significant upcoming fixtures, including a Premier League clash with Bournemouth and a challenging away game at Manchester United. Moyes revealed that Paqueta has recently returned from Madrid and has undergone further scanning, yet a definitive update on his condition remains elusive.
Moyes acknowledged the possibility that Paqueta’s road to recovery could be fraught with more complications than initially thought, but he also highlighted Paqueta’s resilience and potential for a rapid return to peak form. The situation is similarly cautious for striker Michail Antonio, who is also on the mend from a knee injury sustained while on international duty. Unlike Paqueta, Antonio has made some progress by engaging in straight-line running exercises but remains under the watchful eye of the medical team, apart from team training sessions.
