Sunderland boost as West Ham striker Andy Carroll ruled out for 'couple of weeks'

Carroll is back in the Upton Park treatment room yet again and will miss Sunday’s FA Cup fifth-round trip to Blackburn and the Premier League game with Sunderland a week Saturday.

The 27-year-old has been beset by injuries since joining the Hammers permanently from Liverpool in 2013, and has started only 31 Premier League matches in 32 months at the club.

The latest blow is a groin problem suffered after coming on as a substitute against Norwich last weekend, although manager Slaven Bilic hopes he will not be sidelined for long this time.

"It's not a big injury, maybe a couple of weeks,” said Bilic.

"It happens to him a lot, he can’t get a proper routine of games. We are gutted, and he is gutted, at the situation.

"He felt it warming up at Norwich but came on and made a huge impact. Afterwards it turned out to be a minor injury - but still an injury."

Carroll is another addition to a growing casualty list for Bilic, who is also without Enner Valencia and Diafra Sakho, leaving January signing Emmanuel Emenike as the only fit recognised striker for the visit to Ewood Park.