Another injury blow: Victor Moses out until the New Year

West Ham have been dealt with yet another injury blow as it’s confirmed winger Victor Moses will be out until the New year with a hamstring injury.

The Nigerian international winger was enjoying a great season in East London on-loan from Chelsea, and will be missed throughout the tricky Christmas period where the schedule becomes even more congested.

Moses pulled up lame against Manchester United with a hamstring injury, and scans this week have confirmed that the attacker will be sidelined for a period of four to six weeks, according to Slaven Bilic.

Michail Antonio is the likely replacement for Moses in the starting line-up. The 24-year-old is yet to start for West Ham since his £7m move from Nottingham Forest on transfer deadline day in the summer, but his time has come.

The winger wasn’t the Hammers’ only casualty in the last few days, with Winston Reid also set to miss a similar length of time with a hamstring injury as well.

SB: “Winston’s injury doesn’t look good. We don’t know how long he’ll be out for yet, we’ll know more tomorrow after the scan.”

— @whufc_official

SB: “He slipped early on in the training session, it looks like a rupture. He’ll definitely be out of the Stoke game and a few more games.”

— @whufc_official

Reid has been without doubt West Ham’s best defender this season, and was a standout performer in the draw at Manchester United last weekend, and will be sorely missed.

James Collins is expected to slot in at the heart of the defence alongside Angelo Ogbonna while James Tomkins is expected to start at right-back against Stoke. The idea of Carl Jenkinson making a return to the team with Tomkins moving back inside to centre-back has also been suggested.

Reid and Moses add to what seems like a never-ending list of injured first-team stars coming at the worst possible time.

Manuel Lanzini is expected to be out for at least another month with a thigh injury suffered in training prior to the Manchester United game while Enner Valencia is still out with an ankle injury sustained against Everton, but he’s edging closer to a first-team return.

Dimitri Payet and Diafra Sakho remain the club’s two most long-term injuries with both not expected to see the field before February with ankle and thigh injuries respectively.