Nuno Espirito Santo indicates that Mateus Fernandes may have a chance of featuring for West Ham United against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday with Lucas Paqueta and Konstantinos Mavropanos also picking up injuries.
Portuguese playmaker Mateus Fernandes missed the FA Cup win over QPR having suffered a minor injury in the 2-1 defeat by Nottingham Forest.
Konstantinos Mavropanos was stretchered off at the London Stadium, meanwhile, following a nasty collision inside the Queens Park Rangers penalty area. And while speculation rages over Lucas Paqueta’s future and a potential switch to Flamengo, a back injury was actually the reason for his absence in the FA Cup third round.
With these players out or doutbful, who needs to step up against Tottenham?!
Nuno Espirito Santo hopes to have Lucas Paqueta available when West Ham United face Tottenham
Nuno Espirito Santo hopes to have Paqueta back in Saturday’s latest London derby. Whether the Brazil international is passed fit to make what could be a final appearance in a West Ham United shirt, though, remains to be seen.
“All of them are recovering from different things,” Nuno told a press conference on Thursday lunchtime. “Dino has had a neck [injury] that took some time. Still painful.
“Matheus is back doing individual sessions. Lucas is [undergoing] treatment. Let’s see. We have a couple of days to go.”
Nuno hopes that FA Cup win – only his third in 17 matches since taking charge – can prove a springboard for improved Premier League displays. Opposite number Thomas Frank is also under huge pressure going into a battle between two underperforming sides sitting 14th and 18th.
“The [QPR] result was the best thing that we could hope for!” Nuno adds. “I think we did a good match. It was a tough one. Many of our players played all the minutes, but the win always helps with the recovery and the atmosphere.
“The week has been good.”
Be honest; how would YOU feel if West Ham swapped Nuno for Thomas Frank?
The Spurs boss has come in for huge criticism…
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