Fortunately, Graham Potter’s injury update took up only a small fraction of his Friday press conference as the West Ham United boss looks ahead to Sunday’s London derby with Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur.
Crysencio Summerville’s debut season has officially ended. Conformation came via West Ham United’s official website earlier in the week.
Graham Potter explains now that the £30 million signing from Leeds will look to get head down and his fitness up ahead of an expected return in time for pre-season.
That, however, was about it on the injury front.
Michail Antonio’s tear-jerking return will have to wait, of course, while it remains to be seen if Edson Alvarez can feature after missing the last two Premier League matches. But, Summerville aside, the rest of the West Ham squad appear fit and raring to go as they look to ease some of the growing frustration with a timely victory over their capital-city neighbours.
Tottenham’s embattled head coach Ange Postecoglou, however, is not so fortunate.
Tottenham Hotspur suffer quadruple blow ahead of West Ham United clash
Now, Spurs never do things the easy way.
They were 3-0 up and cruising in the first-leg of their UEFA Europa League semi-final against Bodo/Glimt on Thursday night. But a late consolation from Ulrik Saltness, coupled with second-half injuries suffered by both James Maddison and Dominic Solanke, left a somewhat sour aftertaste in Spurs mouths.
Captain Heung-Min Son missed out against the Norwegian champions too, failing to recover in time from a foot injury.
And, speaking at his own Friday presser, Postecoglou confirmed that all three are now facing a race against time ahead of the trip to the London Stadium.
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“Dom is not too bad. He is still a bit sore from last night, but we don’t think it’s anything serious. Obviously, [Solanke is] a doubt for weekend,” the straight-talking Australian begins.
“Madders, we’re a bit more concerned about. He was heading for a scan [on Friday]. We’re just wait to hear that outcome.
“Sonny is working hard. He’s out on the grass every day. We’ll see how he’s going by [next] Thursday.”
Lucas Bergvall and Crysencio Summerville suffer season-ending injuries
Tottenham, therefore, will be without three of their five leading Premier League goalscorers up against Graham Potter’s out-of-sorts outfit.
West Ham fans will be pleased to avoid another meeting with Son – scorer of nine goals in 20 derbies – while Solanke netted home and away against the Claret and Blues with AFC Bournemouth last term.
Postecoglou also confirmed that Lucas Bergvall, one of the few bright sparks in a highly disappointing campaign for Tottenham Hotspur, joins Summerville in seeing his season brought to a premature conclusion.
“Lucas, obviously looks like the injury is probably significant enough to keep him out for the remainder of the season,” the former Celtic boss sighs.
It would not have raised too many eyebrows, back in August, if supporters had been told that West Ham and Spurs would be separated by one place and one point in the Premier League table by the start of May.
Though few would have imagined that, with a home win over their despited neighbours, West Ham could leapfrog Tottenham into a lowly 16th with only three matches remaining. Even the most pessimistic may have struggled to envisage things could quite this badly.
Fortunately, with neither Southampton, Leicester City nor Ipswich Town providing much of a challenge below them, the sleeping giants know there is a limit to how far they can fall.