---
title: "West Ham star set for return against Liverpool"
canonical: "https://readwestham.com/2015/12/23/west-ham-star-set-return-liverpool/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Ste Hoare"
section: "West Ham News"
published: "2015-12-23T12:16:15Z"
modified: "2015-12-23T12:16:15Z"
---

# West Ham star set for return against Liverpool

Dmitri Payet is set to return to action slightly ahead of schedule and could be ready for the home tie with Liverpool on January 2nd.

The French midfielder has been out since early November after injuring his ankle in the 1-1 draw with Everton, the injury coming after a heavy challenge by Toffees’ midfielder James McCarthy.

![Ian Walton/Getty Images Sport](https://media.readwestham.com/readwestham/2015/12/493050134.jpg)

The original timescale on a return for the 28-year-old had him set to come back in February, but speaking today ahead of West Ham’s Boxing Day fixture against Aston Villa, manager Slaven Bilic confirmed that his star man is ahead of schedule on his road to recovery.

As reported by [The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/dec/23/dimitri-payet-west-ham-liverpool-slaven-bilic), Bilic said:

> It is good news with Dimitri as he is ahead of schedule, so he should train with us after the Villa game or the Southampton game. He is training with the fitness coaches and he might be involved in the Liverpool game which is a big boost. At the beginning we thought he would be back in February but he is way ahead of schedule and it is not that bad. His ankle is very good – it is stable – so it is great news if it goes like this.

The Hammers will be delighted to get Payet back early. The Frenchman was one of the standout players in the league at the start of the season, netting five goals in his first 12 games, as well as creating a further three goals for his teammates.