West Ham United’s relegation fight has suffered another damaging setback after Nuno Espirito Santo was hit with two major injury doubts ahead of a must-win Premier League clash against Wolves.
With pressure mounting on players, manager and the owners, the timing of the blow could hardly be worse as the Hammers stare down a decisive fixture in their survival battle.
Going into home games against depleted Fulham and Brighton sides, West Ham simply had to win both to boost their dwindling hopes of Premier League survival.
But rather than six points, the Hammers emerged with just one solitary point to leave Nuno Espirito Santo needing a minor miracle to stay up.
West Ham have their fewest points at this stage of the season since being relegated under Avram Grant.
The same fate will befall the Irons unless things change – and fast.
West Ham hit by new injury blow disaster
The January window will be vital for boosting a squad nowhere near good enough to compete in the top flight.
In what now seems to be par for the course in east London in every transfer window, there is friction behind the scenes.
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Nuno has issued West Ham’s owners with a transfer ultimatum after insisting he has told them the names of players he wants to sign.
The Hammers boss has also insisted he wants signings in quickly with every game and point precious as the second half of the season begins with another must-win match at rock bottom Wolves.
The Molineux side are without a league win all season and have just three points on the board.
But Rob Edwards’ side have looked much-improved of late and picked up a point against Man United at Old Trafford in midweek.
Many West Ham fans feel there is an inevitability about Wolves getting their first win of the season against them.
That ominous sense of doom may worsen with news out of the club following the draw with Brighton.
Because West Ham have suffered a new injury blow disaster as Nuno faces two major doubts for Wolves.
West Ham’s squad is threadbare as it is.
Nuno faces two major doubts for Wolves
So the last thing Nuno needs ahead of such a pivotal game is the likelihood two key players will be missing.
Even though West Ham couldn’t keep a clean sheet if their lives depended on it, Jean-Clair Todibo has been one of the team’s better players of late.
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The French defender has been enjoying his best spell in the side since joining the club as injuries hampered his first season with the Hammers.
Now Todibo has suffered a new one.
The former Nice man limped off on the stroke of half-time nursing what looked like a groin or thigh injury.
Todibo was limping so severely he could not get through the last minute of the first half, needing to be replaced by Konstantinos Mavropanos.
A top spokesman for West Ham’s owners has confirmed Todibo has been sent for a scan on the issue today.
But even if the injury is not severe, it will likely keep him out for the quick turnaround trip to Wolves in 72 hours.
That is not the only blow the Hammers have been dealt.
Lucas Paqueta also went off in the game after jolting his back.
Paqueta frustrated fans with another underwhelming performance – although he did register a first Premier League assist in well over 50 games and tucked away a penalty too.
Todibo and Paqueta likely to miss Wolves
The Brazilian playmaker pulled up holding his lower back and was walking so gingerly he had to take to the floor in order to be substituted, nearly costing West Ham a goal in the process.
Some have suggested Paqueta was exaggerating his issue because he had seen he was about to be subbed off anyway.
If he has hurt his lower back, Paqueta will also be out for the Wolves game given its close proximity to the Brighton draw.
Losing Todibo means the ominous fate of West Ham fielding Max Kilman and Mavropanos together.
Crysencio Summerville will come back in for Paqueta if he does, as expected, miss Wolves.
A win in the game could see West Ham go within a win of leapfrogging Nottingham Forest.
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