West Ham goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski has resumed light training but he is still not expected to return from his hip injury until after Christmas.
The Hammers are desperate to get the Pole fit again, with his under-study Roberto enduring a torrid time recently and the team struggling badly in his absence.
Fabianski was expected to be out until the new year but West Ham hope he will be fit for their Boxing Day clash at Crystal Palace.
That means the 34-year-old could potentially miss only four more matches. His return would be a welcome boost for under-fire manager Manuel Pellegrini.
West Ham are winless since Fabianski was injured at Bournemouth in September and his absence has been a major factor behind their recent bad run.
Roberto has conceded 15 goals in seven appearances since replacing Fabianski and Pellegrini is facing a dilemma over whether to bring in for David Martin at Chelsea on Saturday.
Third-choice Martin joined on a free transfer from Millwall in the summer and has never made a Premier League appearance.
Fabianski is still some way from being ready to take part in full training and West Ham will not rush him back despite their plight.
But the sight of him doing ball work has provided a lift at the club’s Rush Green training ground.
The West Ham board are determined to support manager Pellegrini, having backed him with £180million since he was appointed last year.
But games against Chelsea, Wolves, Arsenal and Southampton before Christmas are likely to be a defining period.
They then have a gap of 12 days before their next game, which would give them time to bring in a new manager if they felt a change was needed.
