West Ham keeper Lukasz Fabianski facing three months out with thigh injury
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LUKASZ FABIANSKI has dealt West Ham a huge blow with the news that he is facing three months on the sidelines with a thigh injury.
The Polish keeper limped out of the Hammers' 2-2 draw away at Bournemouth during the first half at the Vitality Stadium on Saturday.
The 34-year-old stopper was the club's player of the year last season following a series of standout performances since his £7million switch from Swansea.
Manuel Pellegrini was initially calm about the Poland International's injury amid hopes that he had only strained a muscle.
But according to , further examinations showed that Fabianski had sustained a torn thigh muscle and could be out for more than three months.
The former Arsenal star has already kept three clean sheets in the Premier League this season, and has been a massive part of West Ham's rise to fourth.
But Fabianski's injury woes will see Pellegrini forced to call upon back-up stopper Roberto, who deputised for the Pole during the Bournemouth draw.
The experienced Spaniard joined West Ham on a free transfer in the summer and had made just two Carabao Cup appearances prior to Saturday.
Roberto struggled on Wednesday as the Hammers crashed to a 4-0 League Cup defeat at Oxford and were eliminated in the third round.
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The east London club also signed David Martin on a free in the window, with the former Millwall man hoping to challenge for Fabianski's vacant place.
But Pellegrini is likely to give the nod to Roberto for West Ham's clash against Crystal Palace at the London Stadium this Saturday.
The ex-Manchester City manager is already without Michail Antonio until Christmas after the England star suffered a serious hamstring injury against Newport County last month.