West Ham star Mark Noble could well feature in the side that faces Hull City in the Premier League on Saturday – and if he does he will then be one game away from making 400 appearances for his beloved Hammers.
Skipper Noble was given extended rest by manager Slaven Bilic after coming under fire from some disgruntled fans following some below par performances.
He missed out entirely when Leicester City won 3-2 at the London Stadium last time the Hammers were in action but all indications are that he could well feature at the KCOM Stadium against Marco Silva’s outfit.
Bilic’s men are desperate to get back to winning ways after enduring a torrid time in the league; having snared just two points from a possible 15 in a run of five matches.
One player keen to get back alongside Noble and amongst the action is Argentine midfielder Manuel Lanzini. He says the captain is hugely influential within the camp; and he admits that he keen to learn from the experienced scheme.
Lanzini said: “It’s very good to play alongside Nobes. It’s always good to play alongside experienced players and particularly those who are truly loved at their clubs, as they are the ones who can help you so much on and off the pitch. It’s very important to have him around and I try to learn as much as I can by watching him.”
Lanzini has found the net three times during the recent run of five matches and he has renewed faith that there is more to come.
He added: “I feel like I’m an important player here and that’s just what I needed in order to be able to show what I am capable of on the pitch. I’m not feeling the pressure. I’m very comfortable with how things are going at the moment and feel like a very important part of the team, which is just what I wanted.”