West Ham United play host to Southampton on Saturday afternoon in a huge Premier League clash, one which will come too soon for two members of their squad.
The Hammers go into the game in a desperate need for points, as they bid to come away from the drop zone and avoid falling into the Championship.
West Ham go into the weekend inside the bottom three in the Premier League table, but with Aston Villa not in action due to the Carabao Cup Final, the Londoners are certain to come out of the relegation places should they avoid defeat to Southampton.
The Hammers are not only struggling for form, they are beginning to have major issues with injuries as well, and things are not helped by the fact that the Saints match comes too soon for Jack Wilshere and Andriy Yarmolenko.
West Ham boss David Moyes provided an update on the injured pair when he addressed the media ahead of the match, with the news positive, but not quite good enough.
“Andriy played 60 minutes in a practice game the other day,” the Hammers official website quotes him as saying.
“He’s still feeling his thigh a little bit so he’s not joined in with the first team yet, but he’s getting closer.
“Jack Wilshere has started doing some work on the grass after his operation, so they’re both getting back closer to fitness but, in the same breath, still a little bit away. I would hope he will play again this season. I would hope he will get himself fit enough and in a condition to do so, but I couldn’t guarantee that.”
West Ham are also without the injured Ryan Fredericks, but there could be starts for January signing Jarrod Bowen and Pablo Fornals, as Moyes goes about masterminding a much needed victory.