West Ham United are dealing with fresh fitness problems as Nuno Espirito Santo confirmed a double setback in his latest injury update. The pressure is increasing on the new manager to turn performances around, however the squad has been hit by untimely absences at a crucial stage of the season.
Mavropanos concern adds to selection problems
Konstantinos Mavropanos has joined the growing injury list after being forced off during the closing stages of Monday’s home defeat to Brentford. The Greece international had come on at half time but did not complete the match.
Nuno Espirito Santo revealed that the club are waiting for scans before knowing how long the defender will be unavailable. He said, “Dinos is injured. He came off, and he now has a scan to see the injury he has. I don’t know exactly how long he’ll be out, but he’ll be missing on Friday,” during his pre match press conference.
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Mavropanos had been seen as a strong candidate for more regular minutes under the new manager, so his absence will force a rethink in the defensive line. West Ham United have struggled for solidity in recent weeks, and losing a key defender at this stage brings an added complication.
Fullkrug and Earthy still absent
Nuno Espirito Santo also provided an update on the fitness of striker Niclas Fullkrug. The forward missed Nuno’s first home match in charge with a thigh injury picked up before the international break. It had been hoped he would return sooner, however the plan is now to have him fit for Newcastle at the start of November. Nuno has previously confirmed that Fulkrug is targeting that fixture for his comeback.
Young midfielder George Earthy is also unavailable. Promoted to the first team this season, he is recovering from a hamstring issue and remains on the sidelines. His energy and passing ability have been missed, especially in matches where West Ham United have struggled for rhythm in midfield.
Winless start putting Nuno under early scrutiny
West Ham United are still seeking their first victory under Nuno Espirito Santo. The defeat to Brentford on Monday was described as a chastening experience, and the next assignment is away to Leeds on Friday. Leeds sit 19th in the Premier League, three points from safety, and both teams urgently need points.
Nuno admitted his frustration with the Brentford display, noting that the team started brightly but lost control of the game. He said, “We still have problems, and we didn’t play well enough on Monday. We have to improve, and that has to come from the players, in terms of their own games, and then as a team, we have to get better too.
“I was frustrated on Monday, because I thought we started well. Then we weren’t able to sustain that, so I was disappointed.
“There are many factors and reasons for that. Brentford adjusted well and gave us problems. And then we rushed and showed anxiety.”
Road ahead for West Ham United
The immediate challenge for Nuno Espirito Santo is to steady the side, navigate the injury issues and build confidence. A positive result at Leeds would ease tension and provide momentum before a difficult November schedule. If West Ham United can tighten up defensively and regain composure in key moments, the first win of the new era may not be far away.