'Miracle' Antonio is OK after car crash - Lopetegui

Michail Antonio during a Premier League matchImage source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Michail Antonio appeared in each of West Ham's first 14 matches in the Premier League this season

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West Ham's players will visit team-mate Michail Antonio in hospital this weekend as he continues his recovery after a "miracle" escape from a car crash, says manager Julen Lopetegui.

Antonio, 34, had surgery on a lower limb fracture following his accident on 7 December.

The Jamaica international had to be released from his car after the incident in Epping, Essex, and was taken to a central London hospital.

"We are going to visit him today or tomorrow," Lopetegui said on Friday.

"But the main thing is we are happy because he is recovering well. We are close to him and his family and we wish him the best for the next days.

"The best news about Michail Antonio was that he was able to talk with us before the [Wolves] match - [because] looking at the car crash, it was one miracle [he was OK].

"Now he is strong, he is recovering himself in the next months to be a man first and then a player."

Antonio is expected to remain in hospital for weeks as he recovers from multiple injuries, according to the PA news agency.

The Hammers forward spoke to his team-mates via a video call before they earned an important 2-1 win over Wolves on Monday, having worn 'Antonio 9' shirts before kick-off.

Antonio is West Ham's all-time leading scorer in the Premier League, with 68 goals in 268 league appearances.

West Ham return to Premier League action with an away match at Bournemouth on Monday night.

'Adored' Fairs dies after cancer battle

On Friday, West Ham announced "with deep and profound sadness" the death of under-15s academy goalkeeper Oscar Fairs following a battle with cancer.

Sporting director Mark Noble said: "Oscar was adored by everyone at the academy - not only was he a great goalkeeper, he was a true Hammer and a fantastic young person, who will be deeply missed by everyone who had the pleasure to know him."

As a mark of respect West Ham have postponed all academy fixtures this weekend, including Friday's PL2 under-21 match against Stoke City.

The club said it would communicate information about its plans to pay tribute to Fairs, 15, and "ensure that his name is never forgotten at West Ham" in due course.

"I have wonderful memories of Oscar playing in my garden - [my son] Lenny and his team-mates all loved him," added Noble.

"He was a friendly, happy, well-mannered and polite young man, who had such a bright future ahead of him, and it is just so unimaginably devastating that he has been taken from his family and friends at this age."