Diafra Sakho Injury Issues Continue

In just his second appearance since returning from a back injury that left him out for three months, Diafra Sakho was injured during the 1-1 draw versus Manchester United on Sunday. Sakho, who scored West Ham’s lone goal in the second minute, was replaced by Ashley Fletcher in the 66th minute after pulling up with a hamstring issue. Sakho will undergo a scan on his hamstring, but is reported to be out for at least four weeks.

This is unfortunate news for the Hammers, as Sakho became the first striker for the club to score this season and the club and fans were hoping he could build off of his performance. Fans may take some solace in the fact that Andy Carroll looks to be returning to the squad sometime soon, and hopefully can start producing up front, which the Hammers desperately need.

Just like Carroll, Sakho’s career has been plagued by injuries, having only played 46 league matches in his two and a half seasons with the club. In the 2014-2015 season, he was West Ham’s leading scorer in his first year in East London. In his second season, he suffered a thigh injury which left him out for three months during the winter. And this season he had the back injury, in which he just returned from last week against Tottenham.

In August this year, a transfer was in the works for Sakho to move to West Bromwich Albion. However, the Senegalese failed his medical and the transfer fell through.

With the two strikers West Ham signed on loan in August, Simone Zaza and Jonathan Calleri, both goalless so far this season, an injury to Sakho is not what the team needed up front. West Ham’s struggling season got a little brighter yesterday, grabbing a point at Old Trafford. The lack of goals have been a clear issue for the Hammers, and Sakho coming off injured diminished the bright spot that came when he scored the first goal by a striker this season for the club.