West Ham United vs Arsenal - Balbuena joins Hammers injury list

Fabian Balbuena is the latest addition to West Ham’s long-term injury list as they prepare to face London rivals Arsenal on Saturday.

The Paraguayan defender resumed training this week after a knee problem, but suffered a setback and has now undergone surgery which will rule him out for up to eight weeks.

It remains to be seen whether Marko Arnautovic will play after his agent claimed the striker wants to move to China.

Jack Wilshere, Manuel Lanzini, Carlos Sanchez, Andriy Yarmolenko, Winston Reid, Javier Hernandez and Ryan Fredericks are all still absent, although the latter pair are due back in training next week.

Arsenal head coach Unai Emery can call on fit-again Mesut Ozil (knee), Laurent Koscielny (back), Hector Bellerin (calf), Konstantinos Mavropanos (groin), Shkodran Mustafi and Nacho Monreal (both hamstring) if required at the London Stadium.

It is unclear how many will be given the nod by Emery, who remains without the services of Rob Holding (knee), Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Danny Welbeck (both ankle).