Exclusive: West Ham big name on the bench for clash v Bournemouth today
West Ham playmaker Manuel Lanzini is set to be named on the substitute's bench for today's Premier League clash against Bournemouth, Football Insider can reveal.
A West Ham source has told Football Insider that Lanzini has made a sooner-than-expected recovery and is in the travelling party that has headed to the south coast for the 3pm kick-off.
Lanzini has declared himself fit after he aggravated a foot injury in the recent Premier League draw against Aston Villa that he had initially sustained while on international duty for Argentina at the start of the month.
He was not in the squad for the subsequent Premier League triumph over Man United or the humiliating midweek 4-0 thrashing at the hands of Oxford United in the League Cup.
But the bruising on his foot has significantly diminished and the injury is not as bad as initially feared.
Manager Manuel Pellegrini is set to take a cautious stance by starting Lanzini on the bench today as he looks to ring the changes again following Wednesday's embarrassing defeat.
He is likely to select a similar line-up to the one that defeated United last Sunday through goals from Andriy Yarmolenko and Aaron Cresswell.
Summer signing Pablo Fornals replaced Lanzini, who had started the first five league matches of the campaign, in the starting XI, but he had an indifferent game against Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side.
Pellegrini has made it clear with his selections this season that Lanzini is the first choice central attacking midfielder in his squad when fit and available.