West Ham United captain Jarrod Bowen will be sidelined indefinitely with a fractured left foot, the club said on Tuesday.
Bowen suffered the injury during Sunday's 5-0 loss to Premier League leaders Liverpool and was substituted in the second half.
“The injury to his left foot, picked up in the first half at London Stadium, will sideline the Hammers captain heading into the New Year,” the Hammers said in a statement. No timeframe has been put on his return at this stage.
Bowen has been a key player for the side this season, scoring five goals in the top flight and assisting four - highs in both categories for Julen Lopetegui’s team.
Amid wider struggles which have left West Ham in 13th at the close of the year, Bowen has been one of the team’s more consistent players and is one of only two individuals - along with Max Kilman - to have started all 19 league matches thus far.
The forward revealed he had sustained the injury during the first half against Liverpool, but tried to play on.
“As always I tried to fight on and continue playing until I physically couldn't,” Bowen wrote on Instagram. “Injuries happen in football, but I'm already looking forward to getting back out there as soon as possible. See you all soon.”
While no direct comparisons can be drawn due to the changeable nature of injuries and specific location of fractures, Harvey Elliott had the same basic injury earlier this term and missed around three months. Leny Yoro fractured his foot in preseason and made his return to competitive action in November.
West Ham are also meanwhile missing Michail Antonio after he was involved in a car accident, though he has now been released from hospital after surgery.
Additional reporting by Associated Press
