Hammer blow for striker

– West Ham striker Marko Arnautovic has been ruled out for a month after pulling a hamstring in Tuesday’s 3-1 Premier League win over Cardiff City, manager Manuel Pellegrini said this week.

The Austrian international has emerged as a key player at the tip of the Hammers’ attack this season with five league goals in 13 games and Pellegrini said the club’s other forwards had to step up during a busy run of fixtures this month.

“Arnautovic has a muscle injury. He’ll probably be out for around one month,” Pellegrini told a news conference ahead of today’s game against Crystal Palace.