Paqueta, Todibo, Summerville: West Ham injury latest and return dates ahead of Brentford clash

West Ham United’s third round FA Cup exit will undoubtedly have been a huge blow for fans, who were forced to face up to the reality of another season without domestic silverware.

However, the one silver lining from a Hammers perspective is that Graham Potter has been extra time on the training ground to implement his brand of football on the team after stepping into the shoes of Julian Lopetegui last month. It also gives Potter’s injury-ravaged squad extra recovery time to get back up to speed as they target huge improvements in the second half of the season after an underwhelming start to the campaign.

As it stands, West Ham are 15th in the table, leaving them a distant 13 points away from the European places and only 10 clear of the drop zone. The Hammers will be targeting a minimum of a top half finish and will hope to make huge strides towards that goal when they play host to London rivals Brentford in an intriguing Premier League affair.

The match could see January signing Evan Ferguson make his long-awaited debut after joining on loan from Brighton, but what is the latest on West Ham’s other key names and are any likely to return from injury in the near future?

West Ham’s defender and midfield injuries

West Ham summer signing Jean-Clair Todibo, who has been absent for the past four games due to an ankle injury, is “progressing” with his recovery, according to Graham Potter, but there is little clarity over whether the defender has any chance of facing Brentford next week, with the club keeping details of his recovery close to their chest.

Mexican international Edson Alvarez suffered a late injury in the build-up to West Ham’s 2-1 loss to Chelsea. He is currently being assessed by the medical team and could be included for the home clash with Brentford.

Elsewhere, Brazil international Lucas Paqueta is also on the road to recovery after missing the Chelsea defeat with a groin problem. The former Lyon star is likely to face a late fitness test this week as he targets a return to first team action.When discussing Paqueta, Potter said: “With Lucas, we're just monitoring and looking after him. We're hopeful that he can train at the back end of the week as well. Obviously, we'll have to see. He hasn't trained so far this week.”

West Ham’s attacking injuries

Niclas Füllkrug’s short career at the London Stadium so far has been blighted by persistent injuries, and he has managed just 11 matches since his summer move. No sooner had the 31-year-old returned from an Achilles issue than he sustained a hamstring problem to replace it, and he has subsequently missed the last four games.

The German striker is now back doing light exercise, with a picture showing him training in Dubai as he works his way back to health. However, at this stage a timeline on his return is yet to be determined.

Crysencio Summerville has struggled to hit the ground running since arriving from Leeds United and is expected to be out until at least April after suffering a further setback on his thigh injury. Potter explained: “Summerville is very doubtful and taking a bit longer than we anticipated.”