Declan Rice has been ruled out for at least a month with a knee injury which could derail the end of West Ham’s stellar season and severely hamper his fitness ahead of the summer Euros with England.
Rice, who has played every minute in the Premier League this season, picked up the injury last week during a man-of-the-match performance as England beat Poland in World Cup qualification.
The Hammers, who face Wolves on Monday, expect the 22-year-old to be sidelined for around four to six weeks and remain hopeful he will play a part again this season. The season concludes on May 23 with Southampton the visitors.
However, the rehabilitation timescale will be a concern to England manager Gareth Southgate. Rice has become an integral part of Southgate’s side as England prepare for the delayed European Championship this summer.
West Ham’s visit to Wolves on Monday night marks the start of their run-in as David Moyes looks to seal an unlikely push for Europe. A win at Molineux would move them into the top four, though Rice’s absence makes a difficult test even tougher.
The midfielder has captained the side this season, with Mark Noble falling down the pecking order, and his partnership with Tomas Soucek is one of the more formidable in the league.
Moyes is thin on options in central midfield and Noble, 33, is the obvious replacement. The West Ham veteran, who has announced that next season will be his last at the club, has done well in the FA Cup this term but looked off the pace in the Premier League and cannot offer the same presence or energy as Rice.
West Ham’s strong fitness record has been a key factor in their success this season, but Rice is the player they can most ill afford to lose.
The race for Europe is tight and West Ham host Leicester, Chelsea and Everton across the next five weeks, now facing the prospect of doing so without the player Moyes values at well north of £100million.
