Sakho injury has Bilic lamenting Hammers’ luck

Slaven Bilic has lamented the thigh injury suffered by Diafra Sakho – and says it’s “becoming harder” for West Ham in light of their decreasing attacking options.

Sakho limped off with a thigh problem after stretching to shoot into the side-netting during the second half of the 1-1 draw against West Brom.

His is the third injury to hit West Ham’s attacking resources after playmaker Dimitri Payet and winger Enner Valencia were hurt against Everton earlier this month.

The Senegal forward will see a specialist to determine how long he will be on the sidelines, with Bilic admitting it “doesn’t look good”.

“You can see injuries in every club and to be fair the number who are missing is not a lot, but the ones missing are key players who play in the same position,” added Bilic.

“Valencia, Payet, and now Sakho. It is very hard to replace them.”

The injuries to Payet and Valencia have meant a run in the team for Argentinian striker Mauro Zarate, who took his chance with a spectacular free-kick to open the scoring at Upton Park.

However, Zarate’s fifth goal of the season was cancelled out by Rickie Lambert’s deflected strike after the break as West Brom rallied to earn a point.

“We didn’t feel so good with the result,” Zarate told the club website. “We worked for the three points, and thought all week about taking them – doing the pressing, doing a good job, but it wasn’t enough.

“We had to be 2-0 up after the first half. We were dangerous, with Manuel (Lanzini), Sakho and me we had many options.

“But in the second half they scored so quickly and that killed us.”