Credit: Imago
Credit: Imago
West Ham United

New West Ham injury update is blessing in disguise as embarrassing stat emerges

Harri Burton
Harri Burton

Senior Correspondent AUTHORITY Senior football journalist specialising in refereeing and officiating; former contributor to The Football League Paper, Late Tackle, and the Premier League; University of Derby graduate. FOCUS Refereeing controversies, football finance and governance, PGMOL decisions, and officiating analysis across the Premier League, EFL, and SPFL. THE INSIGHT Harri utilises a network of officiating and industry contacts to deliver verified, expert analysis of refereeing decisions and PGMOL policy. He provides the regulatory clarity behind the controversy to ensure fans get the full picture.

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Nuno Espirito Santo may not be so disappointed following the latest injury news emerging from West Ham.

Arsenal beat West Ham 2-0 before the international break, leaving the Hammers stranded 19th in the Premier League, just two points above bottom-place Wolves after seven games.

Only the Old Gold have scored fewer goals than Nuno's side. Jarrod Bowen continues to star for West Ham, but his abilities in front of goal are not enough to drag the club out of the dark and into the light.

The Irons were without George Earthy and Jean-Clair Todibo for the trip to the Emirates Stadium, with Tomas Soucek also unavailable due to his red card against Tottenham.

However, a new injury came to light over the international break.

Niclas Fullkrug West Ham
Niclas Fullkrug has yet to score a single goal in 2025-26. (Credit Imago)

West Ham are faced with yet another Niclas Fullkrug injury

Niclas Fullkrug is likely to be sidelined for several weeks after the German national team attempted to call him up over the last two weeks, only to be met by the frustrating news.

The 32-year-old has yet to hit the back of the net so far this season, with the Hammers' only Premier League goals coming from Bowen, Lucas Paqueta, and Callum Wilson.

Having cost the club a whopping £27million in the summer of 2024, fans have struggled to find many positives to his game, even being branded "pathetic" by Jason Cundy live on talkSPORT.

Many supporters would likely agree with the comments, and recent stats emerging around the striker's game might now help the manager to completely forget about his absence.

Fullkrug ranks at the very bottom of the Premier League rankings

According to WhoScored, Fullkrug is the lowest-ranked Premier League striker of anyone with at least 350 minutes played so far this season, with Brighton's Danny Welbeck following shortly behind.

For the amount of money that the Hammers spent on the forward's signature, this rating is absolutely appalling, and it is obvious just how much better that money could have been used.

Of course, it was Tim Steidten at the very centre of the transfer, which will come as no surprise to the frustrated supporters, but he continues to haunt the club despite his dismissal.

With other players able to deputise in his position, the injury might just be a blessing in disguise for Nuno and the Irons.

West Ham United
Niclas Fullkrug
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