West Ham United have been dealt a fresh injury blow at the start of their World Cup break.
The Hammers, who are not in competitive action until their Boxing Day trip to Premier League leaders Arsenal, were without winger Maxwel Cornet (calf) and striker Michail Antonio (virus) for their defeat to Leicester City on Saturday afternoon.
That list of absentees grew in the first half of the 2-0 defeat on Saturday when French centre-back Kurt Zouma was forced off with a knee issue sustained in the warm-up of the defeat to the Foxes.
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The list of concerns has now grown again with Italian striker Gianluca Scamacca withdrawing from Italy’s squad for their upcoming friendlies with Albania and Austria.
Scamacca is thought to have withdrawn over a minor muscular issue and will look to use the World Cup break to return to full fitness.
The £30.5million summer signing from Sassuolo is the club’s top scorer so far this season with six goals, four have come in the Europa Conference League and the other two in the Premier League.
Before taking on Arsenal on December 26, West Ham have scheduled two mid-season friendlies against League One side Cambridge United (December 6) and Premier League rivals Fulham (December 17).
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