Manuel Pellegrini might be without Javier Chicharito Hernandez and Marko Arnautovic for West Ham United’s Boxing Day clash with Southampton and that raises Andy Carroll’s hopes of getting his first Premier League start since January.
Arnautovic is already sidelined till the new year and Hernandez limped off the 0-2 home loss against Watford last weekend. Pellegrini revealed that the Mexican international will undergo further evaluation before the next fixture.
With Jack Wilshere, Andriy Yarmolenko and Manuel Lanzini also injured, the former Manchester City boss might have to hand Carroll a start on Tuesday. The striker has struggled with recurring injuries throughout his West Ham career which in turn has affected his chances of first team selection.
The 29-year-old has featured in just 5 Premier League fixtures this season, totalling 156 minutes of playing time only. He has recorded 33 goals to his name in 133 games across all competitions for the Irons.
Carroll while is a dominant aerial presence in the opposition box might not necessarily be an ideal fit into Pellegrini’s system. The former England international might be way below in the pecking order but does bring a distinct scoring threat along with him.
West Ham have been inconsistent throughout this season but are slowly making their way away from the relegation spots. Pellegrini will be hoping to get his team back to winning ways after last weekend loss to the Hornets.
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