Graham Potter is facing an injury crisis for his first home game in charge of West Ham against Fulham the club has confirmed.
After exiting the FA Cup in Graham Potter’s first game at Aston Villa at the weekend, attentions turn back to the Premier League for West Ham.
Julen Lopetegui has left Potter in a pretty dismal situation.
West Ham are 14th in the Premier League table ahead of the visit of Fulham.
That is not what the Hammers envisaged when spending £155m in the summer in their bid to push for Europe again.
This is officially the most wide open Premier League season for 12 years.
So that only adds to the frustration for the club’s owners and fans.
Out of the League Cup and FA Cup, the Premier League is now West Ham’s only focus.
But all may not be lost if Potter can spark a massive turnaround.
Crisis for Potter at West Ham
West Ham are 10 points off seventh going into the game against Fulham.
With England on course to receive at least one extra Champions League spot, the European places ae likely to go down to seventh.
So three wins on the bounce would completely transform West Ham’s season.
And the Hammers have the chance to get two of them with home games against the Cottagers and Crystal Palace this week.
It is now looking an increasingly tough ask, though.
Because there’s a crisis for Potter as West Ham confirm up to seven stars may miss the Fulham clash.
It is obvious that captain Jarrod Bowen and strikers Michail Antonio and Niclas Fullkrug will be missing against Marco Silva’s side.
Bowen is targeting an early February return after fracturing a bone in his foot.
Antonio is out for the season and faces a battle to continue his career after fracturing his thigh bone in that horrific car crash.
Fullkrug is out for around three months after a serious hamstring injury in the 2-1 defeat to Villa on Friday night.
Konstantinos Mavropanos and Crysencio Summerville also went off in that game.
West Ham confirm up to seven stars may miss Fulham
Meanwhile three other Hammers were also missing from the squad that travelled to Villa Park.
Ahead of Potter’s first Premier League conference as Irons boss, the club has confirmed the worrying injury situation.
In the club’s official preview for the Fulham clash, West Ham have reaffirmed Summerville was withdrawn at Villa Park with his own hamstring problem.
He is therefore a doubt given the close proximity between the two games.
The Hammers have also confirmed Alphonse Areola, Jean-Clair Todibo and Emerson Palmieri all missed Friday’s game at Aston Villa and that therefore makes them doubts too.
Mavropanos is not mentioned in the official preview. So the Greek defender should be available for the game.
With that in mind, Potter faces a tough task deciding how West Ham will line up.
Potter has already hinted he has the answer to the striker problem.
Potter may have to persist with Ings up front for Hammers
But he will also have problems to solve elsewhere to face a decent Fulham side.
Mohammed Kudus is emerging as the man Potter may play up front after yet another unconvincing performance from Danny Ings when coming on for Fullkrug at Villa.
But looking at the options, he may have to persist with Ings for now.
Potter faces a big call on youngster Ollie Scarles.
He was man of the match at Villa and singled out for praise by Potter.
But the pace of Adama Traore may give him food for thought.
How injury-ravaged West Ham might line up against Fulham:
Fabianski, Wan-Bissaka, Mavropanos, Kilman, Scarles, Soucek, Alvarez, Soler, Paqueta, Kudus, Ings.
West Ham vs Fulham kicks off at 7.30pm on Tuesday night and is live on TNT Sports.
Receive a digest of our best West Ham content each week direct to your mailbox
