West Ham handed Niclas Fullkrug injury boost as Julen Lopetegui eyes Liverpool upset

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·24 September 2024

West Ham handed Niclas Fullkrug injury boost as Julen Lopetegui eyes Liverpool upset

Struggling Hammers could be at full strength for third-round assignment against the holders at Anfield

West Ham could have a fully-fit squad for Wednesday’s Carabao Cup trip to Liverpool, after Julen Lopetegui confirmed that Niclas Fullkrug has returned to training.

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The striker, who signed from Borussia Dortmund this summer, suffered an Achilles injury on international duty with Germany earlier this month and has missed West Ham’s last two games.

But the 31-year-old trained on Monday and will be assessed after another session on Tuesday, with a view to being including in the squad that travels to Anfield in the third round.

“We don’t have new injuries”, West Ham boss Lopetegui said at his pre-match press conference. “Fullkrug is better too. Maybe we are going to have all the squad ready. Yesterday he [Fullkrug] trained, and today he is going to train after. We will see how his level is [ahead of] Anfield.

“Fullkrug is an experienced player. It is true that he doesn’t have continuity, because when he started being better he had a little injury with the German national team. It was a pity, because he was very close to playing with us.

“He broke the end of his pre-season. Right now, we have to move on with him. But I think he is going to bring us his experience. For sure, he is going to help us to be a stronger team.”

Lopetegui suggested that he will bring some players into his team but won’t make wholesale changes against Carabao Cup holders Liverpool.

Back in action: Niclas Fullkrug has returned to training and could feature for West Ham against Liverpool

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“We are going to try to balance the team”, he said. “All players have the possibility to play with us.

“Lukasz [Fabianski] is going to play. He’s one player who is always ready, so tomorrow he is going to play.

“It’s true that we have a lot of new players that have never played in the Premier League. They have to adapt as soon as possible, and we have to help them.”

The Hammers boss has endured a testing start to life at the club, with West Ham having won just two games so far this season, and only one in the league.

“We face a very tough match”, Lopetegui said ahead of meeting Liverpool. “We are going to play against the current competition champions.

“To go as far as possible in this competition, we need to be able to overcome Liverpool at Anfield. It’s not easy, but we go there with this ambition.”