Mavropanos will need time on the sidelines.placeholder image
Mavropanos will need time on the sidelines. | Getty Images
Nuno Espirito Santo will have his hand forced when it comes to team selection for West Ham.
Newcastle United and Burnley have been handed a boost in their preparations to take on West Ham over the coming weeks with news that the London outfit will be without a first team player, who could have been key in those matches.
The Hammers are in desperate need of a second league win of the season after back-to-back defeats against Arsenal, Brentford and Leeds United. However, next up for Nuno Espirito Santo, is the tricky visit of Newcastle United to the London Stadium.
The Magpies haven’t lost a game at the London Stadium since 2019, winning four and drawing two. West Ham may be helped by the fact that Eddie Howe’s side are in midweek action against Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday evening, so will make the trip to the capital with more minutes in their legs.
Newcastle United and Burnley boost as West Ham defender injured
West Ham have been poor all over the pitch so far this term but a dismal defensive record has been the root of problems. No team in the league has conceded more than the Hammers’ 20 goals this season and fixing that is a priority for Nuno.
The Hammers manager had enough of his defensive line by half time in the 2-0 defeat to Brentford, making three changes at the break after sloppy errors saw the Bees take the lead. Konstantinos Mavropanos was one of the players brought on but was unable to finish the game after pulling up injured.
The 27-year-old wasn’t even able to walk down the tunnel and needed a cart to pick him up and ferry him along the perimeter of the pitch and into the treatment table. Mavropanos was then not in the matchday squad to face Leeds United and it’s now been confirmed that he has torn a hamstring.
Mavropanos out for six weeks with hamstring tear
According to GiveMeSport, Mavropanos is set to be ruled out for up to six weeks in a significant blow for the side. That means that the defender will miss out against Newcastle United this weekend and the trip to Burnley the following weekend. A return could be pencilled in for the home match against Aston Villa on December 14 or the visit to Manchester City on December 20.
The defender had started five matches for West Ham this season but with first choice centre-backs Max Kilman and Jean-Clair Todibo particularly poor in the last two outings, more minutes had seen likely. However, Mavropanos’ absence leaves Nuno with even fewer ways to fix his woes at the back.
The Greek international joined West Ham from VfB Stuttgart on a £20 million move in August 2023. He has gone on to make 75 appearances for the club.
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