Billy McKinlay has said West Ham did not want to take any chances over Gianluca Scamacca after the Italian striker came off injured against Fulham in a mid-season friendly.
The Italian was substituted in the 12th minute of the contest at Craven Cottage, which finished 1-1 after Jarrod Bowen struck in the second half to cancel out Carlos Vinicius' opener for Fulham.
Scamacca made his way slowly around the edge of the pitch after receiving medical treatment on the grass, following a challenge in the seventh minute from Fulham's Andreas Pereira.
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He cut a forlorn figure as he walked off, giving West Ham a fresh injury concern ahead of the return of the Premier League on Boxing Day, when the Hammers travel to face Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.
And West Ham first team coach McKinlay has said that the Hammers will need to wait to determine the extent of the injury to Scamacca's ankle.
"He just rolled his ankle, so we are not quite sure, but we were not taking any chances," he said, speaking post-match at Craven Cottage.
"We don't know the severity of it just yet, but we will get a better idea in the next couple of days and we will go from there."
West Ham were also without Michail Antonio in west London, with the Jamaican international missing out as a precaution with a tight calf, while Aaron Cresswell was also not involved after going off with a hamstring injury in the recent friendly with Cambridge United and Maxwel Cornet was still absent with a calf problem.
"You don't want to get injuries, with a difficult run of games coming up, but hopefully these won't be too long," he added.
"Aaron [Cresswell] went off at Cambridge with a tight hamstring. He is progressing well, but this game came a bit early for him.
"Maxwel [Cornet] has a calf problem which has been a bit longer term, but he has been in and doing a level of training. It has been frustrating for him, along with everyone else. He won't be fit for the next couple of games, I wouldn't think, but hopefully he won't be too far away."
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