Bilic delivers West Ham injury blow as key 28-year-old doubtful for Watford clash
By Will Butcher
Slaven Bilic has revealed that West Ham could be without Andy Carroll for their Premier League clash against Watford on Saturday.
Carroll, 28, has been suffering with a groin problem this month after being substituted in the 56th minute of the Hammers’ 3-1 victory over Southampton.
Bilic revealed to media ahead of Saturday’s clash that his England international had not recovered as expected during the east London outfit’s warm-weather training trip in Dubai and he is a doubt for the weekend.
“I was expecting Andy Carroll to train in Dubai but it is a bit slower than we expected. He will try to run today,” Bilic said, as quoted by the Hammers’ official Twitter account.
“Maybe he has a chance to be in the squad for the Watford game on Saturday.”
Carroll subsequently missed the Hammers’ 2-2 draw at the London Stadium against West Brom on February 11 after picking up the muscle problem.
The former Liverpool and Newcastle striker’s return in claret and blue from a knee injury has coincided with West Ham’s resurgent Premier League form.
Bilic has seen his side win three of their last five Premier League outings, securing three points against the Saints, Middlesbrough and Crystal Palace.
Carroll himself has scored four goals in his last four games, including the January goal of the month against Palace and a wonderful brace away to Aitor Karanka’s Boro.
However, the Hammers may now have to wait a little longer for the return of their injury-prone striker, who will be looking to continue his form to earn an England recall in March.
In other West Ham news, this is the Hammers’ expected side to face Walter Mazzarri’s Hornets at Vicarage Road on Saturday.
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