Mikel Antonio’s knee injury is not as dire as it first appeared, with the West Ham United striker expected to return within a month.

The 33-year-old picked up the problem while playing for Canada against Jamaica on Saturday. The striker is said to have injured his foot but the issue was actually his knee.

Despite the risk of a rupture of the medial ligament, tests revealed only a strain that could be two to three weeks away.

Antonio has featured in all 12 of West Ham’s Premier League games this season – 11 starts – and his absence will leave manager David Moyes short on attacking options.

In his first Premier League game, winger Jarrod Bowen started as West Ham’s number 9. Danny Ings and 19-year-old Devin Mbama are Moyes’ central attacking options.

Antonio made his Jamaican debut in September 2021, having not previously featured in the England squad.

West Ham return to Premier League action at Burnley on Saturday and travel to Backa Topola in the Europa League on Thursday.

They will then face a trio of London derbies against Crystal Palace, Tottenham Hotspur and Fulham.

How will West Ham cope without Antonio?

Analysis by West Ham reporter Roshan Thomas

The news of Antonio’s injury – despite having a better prognosis than it was – will be a defeat for David Moyes.

Although Antonio has managed two goals in 14 appearances this season, he remains West Ham’s first-choice striker.

Moyes has suffered further injury setbacks as he picked up a minor knee injury while on international duty with England. Bowen, the West Ham scorer with nine goals in 16 games, has been a reliable attacking presence over the past few years. If Bowen misses this Saturday’s Premier League game at Burnley, Moyes could call on Danny Ings to play the lone striker.

Mubameh and Maxwell Cornet are other forward options but the former is yet to feature in the Premier League and the latter has only featured for one minute domestically this campaign.

(Photo: Ben Hoskins/Getty Images)