• Premier League

Odemwingie returns fire over injury claim

Peter Odemwingie scored 15 goals last season © PA Photos

Enlarge

Related Links

• News: Hodgson defuses Odemwingie row
  
• News: Hodgson questions Odemwingie over injury problems
  

West Brom striker Peter Odemwingie has launched a rebuke toward his club over the extent of his knee injury.

Odemwingie posted pictures of the injured knee on Twitter as he sought to deny assertions he may be embellishing his fitness worries. Baggies boss Roy Hodgson has expressed his frustration at Odemwingie's continued absence from the first team following an injury-interrupted start to the season.

Hodgson claimed earlier this week that Albion had so far got "nothing" out of Odemwingie this season, adding he was "difficult to work out". The striker, who has been out of action for a month, has hit back by claiming he is closing in on a return after returning to training with the team.

The Nigeria international posted a picture that appeared to show him pressing down on the injured knee, with an attached post: "Picture of injury. Fingerprints to show an edema [accumulation of fluid], still present after three and a half weeks. Trained with the group today [Thursday]."

In another tweet, which was subsequently deleted, Odemwingie then wrote: "Picture taken now. My dear West Brom fans, I do care".

Odemwingie is also pictured holding one of the newspaper articles in which he was criticised by Hodgson. The Albion chief had said: "Peter is difficult to work out. He was supposed to be fit for the Arsenal game but wasn't.

"Then he was definitely going to be fit for the Bolton game, but wasn't. He is supposed to be fit for the Tottenham game and now there is a doubt about that. I take any optimism with a pinch of salt and I'm frustrated because we've got nothing out of Odemwingie this year."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.