West Ham: Injury Expert shares early Vladimir Coufal and Konstantinos Mavropanos update ahead of Bristol City clash
West Ham United defenders Konstantinos Mavropanos and Vladimir Coufal could be in line to return for Tuesday’s FA Cup replay against Bristol City, according to Ben Dinnery.
The Injury expert shared on his Premier Injuries website (12 January) that both players are currently being assessed at the London Stadium ahead of Tuesday’s game at Ashton Gate (16 January) with their fitness status at 50 per cent.
Both Coufal and Mavropanos started the third-round tie at the London Stadium on Sunday (7 January) but were taken off with injuries along with Jarrod Bowen and Lucas Paqueta as the Hammers played out a 1-1 draw.
Crisis
West Ham United are currently facing an attacking crisis right now following fresh blows to Michail Antonio, Bowen and Paqueta which will surely have to force David Moyes and technical director Tim Steidten into doing business in the January transfer window.
Both Bowen and Paqueta are out for up to a month while Antonio will face the next six weeks out handing Moyes a huge blow ahead of a tough run of fixtures over the next few weeks.
The Hammers do have several fall-back options in the squad in Danny Ings, Said Benrahma, Pablo Fornals and Maxwel Cornet but none can be relied upon to deliver after their disappointing cameo appearances this season.
With the attacking crisis now dawning on Moyes, he can ill-afford to face the same fate in defence with key man Nayef Aguerd representing Morocco at the African Cup of Nations.
Coufal and Mavropanos have both been crucial for the Hammers in recent weeks and fans could well have been forgiven for fearing the worst when they both went off injured against Bristol City but it looks as if they will both be okay for Tuesday’s replay.
Whether Moyes chooses to start them given the crucial run of games coming up is very unlikely.
In other West Ham news, one player wants to leave the Hammers amid a £30million development.