West Ham United injury news to emerge on Lucas Paqueta and Jarrod Bowen today
West Ham have been dealt a heavy blow as Jarrod Bowen, Lucas Paqueta and Konstantinos Mavropanos are all set to have scans, according to The Mirror.
The newspaper reported [8 January, page 2] that the Hammers trio are set for scans later on Monday after suffering injuries during West Ham’s 1-1 draw with Bristol City in the FA Cup.
David Moyes is said to be “more disappointed” with the setback to Paqueta, who was replaced after 10 minutes following a recurrence of a knee issue that left him sidelined last month.
West Ham’s leading goalscorer this season, Bowen, suffered an ankle injury but managed to finish the match, while Mavropanos was hooked before half-time after a heavy landing on his side.
A fine line
There is always an argument to be made about whether a manager should field a full-strength starting XI in the FA Cup, with some opting to play some youngsters and fans accusing them of not respecting the competition.
However, Hammers fans will now be frustrated that three of their key players could be sidelined with long-term injuries, especially worried for Paqueta after he was forced to miss their 0-0 draw with Brighton on New Year’s Day.
Following the transfer of Thilo Kehrer to Monaco on loan and Nayef Aguerd leaving for the 2023 African Cup of Nations, a major injury to Mavropanos could be season-altering, especially if the Hammers are unable to find a centre-back replacement during the January transfer window.
And not to mention, Bowen’s absence could be devastating. The 27-year-old is West Ham’s top scorer this season, five more than second-place Mohammed Kudus. Tomas Soucek is the only other player with more than five goals, meaning that an injury to their biggest goal threat could shape the rest of West Ham’s season.
The hope will be that none of the players suffer from serious injuries, though. Hammers fans may have to just sweat a little.
In other West Ham news, Alex Crook has shared a fascinating update on the Hammers’ interest in Tottenham defender Eric Dier.