Miracle’ Antonio is OK after car crash – Lopetegui

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.