By Callum O'Connell

19th Sep, 2023 | 12:10pm

Injury Expert shares Edson Alvarez update ahead of West Ham United v Backa Topola

West Ham star Edson Alvarez is at 50% after his injury picked up against Manchester City and is currently being assessed ahead of the Europa League clash with Backa Topola, according to Ben Dinnery.

The injury expert shared on his Premier Injuries website on 19 September that Alvarez’ expected return date is 21 September, the day of the Europa League clash, and therefore would be considered a doubt for the game.

The Mexican midfielder picked up a knock and was brought off in the 3-1 defeat to Manchester City, and the Hammers will be hoping to have him fit for their Premier League fixture against Liverpool on 24 September.

Give him a rest

West Ham should allow Alvarez the extra time off to recover from his knock ahead of their visit to Anfield this weekend, as they will need him to be on top of his game if they wish to get anything out of their in-form opponents.

The Europa League clash, while an obviously important game to get their campaign off to a flying start, is one they can afford to rest their star players for in a bid to keep them all fit and healthy for the more difficult games in the near future, with no disrespect to their Serbian opponents.

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Alvarez has played an important role at the base of the Hammers’ midfield so far this season, breaking up play before distributing the ball to his teammates further up the field to create chances.

His role will be crucial in the visit to Anfield, with Liverpool’s famously potent attacking numbers able to cause issues for any side. David Moyes was full of praise for his performance against Manchester City [The Athletic, 18 September], and will need similar results against Liverpool.

In other West Ham news, the club will be regretting missing out on a bargain transfer deal after the last 24 hours.