West Ham United are heading into a crucial Premier League clash against Nottingham Forest on Saturday, with mounting injury concerns, particularly surrounding one of their top players.
This weekend’s fixtures are shaping up to be a pivotal point in the season for many clubs. For West Ham, the trip to the City Ground could represent a make-or-break moment.
Nottingham Forest have made an impressive start to their campaign, suffering only one defeat so far.
They are now looking to secure a third consecutive top-flight victory—a historic achievement for the club.
Meanwhile, West Ham are seeking back-to-back league wins under Julen Lopetegui for the first time since February.
The significance of this game goes beyond simple points on the board. With a victory, West Ham could close the gap on Forest to just two points.
This would bring them within touching distance of a potential European spot, especially if they can follow up with a win against Everton next weekend.
However, both sides may be missing key players, and West Ham’s worries seem particularly acute.
Nottingham Forest are expected to be without up to four of their top players, which may provide a glimmer of hope for the Hammers.
Yet, West Ham have their own fitness concerns, with star player Mohammed Kudus and striker Niclas Fullkrug already ruled out.
Now, to add to their woes, there is increasing doubt over the availability of defender Jean-Clair Todibo.
Todibo, who has been in fine form since breaking into the starting lineup, was unexpectedly benched at the start of West Ham’s last match against Manchester United. This was a precautionary measure due to an injury concern.
He eventually made an appearance in the second half, helping West Ham secure a comeback win with his composure and defensive solidity.
However, the French centre-back’s absence from midweek training footage has raised alarms. Fresh images released on Friday showed no sign of the 24-year-old, indicating he could still be under treatment.
Earlier in the week, Todibo had been seen arriving at the Rush Green training ground and even spoke to the club’s media.
He acknowledged he wasn’t “even 80 per cent fit,” fuelling speculation about his availability. His absence from training is thought to be due to the medical team’s efforts to get him match-ready.
Whether they will succeed in doing so before the Nottingham Forest game remains uncertain. If Todibo is unavailable, Lopetegui will likely turn to Konstantinos Mavropanos and Max Kilman, both of whom have been training consistently this week.
However, this partnership has previously looked shaky, lacking the calmness and technical quality that Todibo brings to the backline.
Meanwhile, there’s also some intrigue surrounding Crysencio Summerville. Lopetegui’s recent reluctance to give a clear answer on whether the Dutch winger will start suggests he is hesitant to rely on the youngster from the outset.
Here’s the likely West Ham lineup if Todibo doesn’t recover in time:
Predicted West Ham Starting XI:
Fabianski; Wan-Bissaka, Mavropanos, Kilman, Emerson; Soucek, Alvarez, Rodriguez; Paqueta or Summerville, Bowen, Antonio.