Yahoo News West Ham boss in crutches on training ground after incident on Liverpool touchline
West Ham United's Julen Lopetegui is left on crutches after a touchline mishap in the teams severe Carabao Cup loss at Liverpool. The manager sustained a calf injury in a show of frustration as the Hammers endured a thumping 5-1 defeat at Anfield.
On Thursday, Lopetegui was seen struggling around West Ham's Rush Green training ground and it appears he will be on crutches for the upcoming Brentford match this Saturday.
Echoing an incident from last season when Liverpool's Jurgen Klopp pulled a hamstring contesting a decision in the clash against Tottenham, the focus at West Ham shifts to the coach's fitness rather than the players'.
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Lopetegui conceded with a hint of humour, "I can't play in this match, for sure."
He played down his injury stating, "I have a little injury in my calf. But it's not important. I don't play so it's not important."
Turning attention to his squad, German forward Niclas Fullkrug has had a setback in his return from an Achilles and calf issue that has sidelined him for the previous three matches.
Lopetegui reported, "Fullkrug is not available until now," admitting there was uncertainty about his return, "The truth is I don't know. We thought he would be available this week but unfortunately he was not so we have to wait, but at the moment he is out."
He detailed Fullkrug's issue further, "He has one problem in his Achilles calf. A little injury, not important, but until now he is out."
The hammering at Liverpool comes swiftly after a dispiriting 3-0 home loss to Chelsea, sparking debate about West Ham's trajectory under their latest management.
The Hammers' season has gotten off to a shaky start with three home defeats and modest results including a scrappy victory at Crystal Palace and a last-minute draw against Fulham from their initial Premier League games.
Next, they face a tough away match at a venue where they've historically struggled to gain points, with the next challenge scheduled for Saturday.
Manager Lopetegui acknowledged the need for improvement, saying: "We know we have to improve," especially in light of missing Edson Alvarez due to his red card on Wednesday night.
Despite the stumbling start, the manager showed confidence in his squad's potential for growth: "We are just starting. The demand is high. The Premier League is going to be long for all of us and these players are going to improve. I am sure of this."
He emphasised the significance of securing a win soon: "It's true we need one win and we want to win the next match. The next challenge is Brentford. A very good team, a very complete team. Very strong away and especially at home."
Lopetegui ended on a note of resilience, stressing preparedness without excuses: "We have to be ready. No excuses even though we played a tough match yesterday, we have to be ready with big energy and big commitment for a very demanding match."
