Hammer blow as ankle surgery rules out Wilshere for a month

JACK WILSHERE is set to be out for at least four weeks after having surgery on an ankle injury yesterday.

Sportsmail revealed last week that the injury caused the West Ham midfielder to miss training and he was absent from Sunday’s win at Everton before having a minor procedure yesterday. It is a blow for manager Manuel Pellegrini, who pushed for Wilshere to be given a threeyear deal in the summer. ÷ FRANK LAMPARD has accepted an FA charge of improper conduct after being sent from the dug-out during his Derby side’s 1-0 defeat at Rotherham on Saturday. He is set to be fined. ÷ CRYSTAL PALACE manager Roy Hodgson has been reunited with Barry Simmonds, who scouted for him at Fulham and in the England set-up. ÷ SIX Carabao Cup third-round games will use a video assistant referee next week: Manchester United v Derby, Wolves v Leicester, Arsenal v Brentford, West Ham v Macclesfield, Liverpool v Chelsea, and Everton v Southampton. ÷ FULHAM will offer keeper Marcus Bettinelli a new deal this month. The 26-year-old, called up by England this month, is out of contract at the end of the season.