In a potential boost for West Ham and blow to relegation rivals Tottenham Hotspur, Everton could be missing three key players for the David Moyes reunion at the London Stadium.
West Ham welcome their former manager and his Everton side to east London on Saturday for another massive game in their bid for Premier League survival.
At the same time, Tottenham go to already relegated Wolves in what looks the far easier of this weekend’s match-ups in the fight to stay up.
The Hammers sit one place and two points above Spurs after both sides drew last time out.
West Ham boost is Spurs blow as three top Everton stars could miss clash
West Ham know they will stay up if they match Tottenham’s results in the last five games – and can afford one less.
But the stars may just be aligning for Nuno Espirito Santo and the Irons – and it may be bad news for Roberto De Zerbi and Spurs.
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Because three top Everton stars could miss the West Ham clash in a blow for rivals Tottenham.
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One key Toffees star definitely out of the trip to West Ham is centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite.
Three days out from the game against the Hammers, Everton have confirmed Branthwaite sustained a hamstring injury during Sunday’s Merseyside derby defeat to Liverpool.
The Toffees pointed out the new injury is unrelated to the hamstring area which the highly-regarded star required surgery on in October.
A scan confirmed no procedure is needed this time around, which is great news for the player but Everton have made it clear Branthwaite is now unlikely to feature again this season.
That does of course mean he will also sit out the game against Spurs on the final day.
Beto could join Branthwaite and Grealish in missing West Ham
Another top Everton player will be missing the West Ham game too, in the shape of Jack Grealish.
Grealish is out for the rest of the season after a stress fracture to his foot required surgery back in January.
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The Hammers stayed two points clear of Spurs…
Meanwhile Premier Injuries also list hot-and-cold striker Beto as a doubt for West Ham as he is being assessed after picking up a head injury against Liverpool.
While Beto has been something of a figure of fun on Merseyside he does have four goals in three games and so West Ham will be glad not to face a forward in that kind of form.
Tottenham fans will no doubt have one eye on the score from West Ham on Saturday.
Nerves will be jangling in the Spurs camp at Everton potentially being without such influential players.
The Toffees have been suspect from corners and crosses of late, even with Branthwaite in the side.
West Ham meanwhile have looked dangerous from corners with Konstantinos Mavropanos and Axel Disasi posing real threats alongside the likes of David Moyes favourite Tomas Soucek.
If Spurs beat Wolves, West Ham must win to stay out of the bottom three.
Do that and the Hammers will go level on points with Forest if they fail to beat Sunderland away.
Although a vastly inferior goal difference means the Hammers will not leapfrog the Tricky Trees this weekend.
Staying above Spurs is the main objective, though, for now and until the end of May.
Relegation run-in remaining fixtures: