Exclusive: West Ham star man set to miss clash v Leicester in shattering blow

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Published on:

27 Oct 2018, 9:35 am

EXCLUSIVE

Marko Arnautovic is set to miss West Ham's Premier League clash against Leicester City due to a virus, Football Insider sources can reveal.

The Hammers star man has been struck down by a sickness bug that has swept around the club ahead of the fixture at the King Power Stadium on Saturday evening and is expected to miss out barring an unexpected late recovery.

A well placed source has told Football Insider that Arnautovic, who has also been suffering with a knee injury of late, is set to be replaced by Javier Hernandez in the starting XI.

The expected absence of centre-forward and leading goalscorer Arnautovic is a shattering blow for West Ham.

He has been the team's outstanding player over the last 12 months and tops their goal charts with four goals from eight league matches this season.

Since joining from Stoke City in the summer of 2017 for a fee rising to £24million, the 29-year-old has scored 15 goals from 43 matches in all competitions and also weighed in with nine assists.

It is not the only big change Manuel Pellegrini has made to the starting XI for the clash against Leicester.

In other West Ham news, Football Insider can reveal a Premier League mega name has contacted about a sensational January return to the club.

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