West Ham striker Andy Carroll could make his first Premier League start in more than eight months in today’s trip to Sunderland.
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The England international tore knee ligaments in February but made an appearance off the bench in a 2-2 draw against Norwich City last weekend and is expected to recover from a sore ankle to feature at the Stadium of Light.
Carroll missed five months of the 2013/14 season with a heel injury and made just 16 appearances last term after suffering both ankle and knee ligament damage.
West Ham coach Slaven Bilic tipped the 26-year-old to return to the England squad if the forward can avoid further injury setbacks.
“The England squad will come as a logical result if things are cured,” Bilic said. “First of all he has to stay away from injuries. Only with that can he be in a position to have a great season. In the past it has not been because he dropped in form it’s because he was injured.”
Andy Carroll picked up a minor injury but should be available for Saturday. dg https://t.co/ggoYEEaIJk
— David Gold (@davidgold) October 1, 2015
Elsewhere, Eddie Howe says Bournemouth will be a “different team” without injured top scorer Callum Wilson.
Wilson, who made a stunning start to Premier League life, was struck down by an anterior cruciate ligament injury in his right knee at Stoke last weekend and faces at least six months on the sidelines.
“We’re going to be a different team now with Callum being out,” Cherries boss Howe said ahead of the visit of fellow new boys Watford. “It is up to everybody to step up and give more.”
Dwight Gayle is set to continue in the Crystal Palace attack for today’s early kick-off against West Brom at Selhurst Park. Aston Villa will again be without Adama Traore again when they welcome Stoke City to Villa Park.
