West Ham United pair Hawa Cissoko and Martha Thomas will again be absent from the squad this weekend as Matt Beard’s side take on Arsenal in their first match at The Chigwell Construction Stadium in Dagenham.
The influential duo missed out as The Hammers secured a 1-1 derby draw at Tottenham Hotspur last weekend and the club have today revealed via their official website that both Cissoko and Thomas will be sidelined again for the visit of Arsenal on Saturday.
It has been reported that French midfielder Cissoko has had surgery on a minor injury which may mean that she will not make her West Ham United debut until November. The 23-year-old Parisian joined The Hammers this summer following a two-year spell with French club Soyaux.
Forward Thomas could return before Cissoko but after rolling her ankle, the club are taking a cautious approach to her rehabilitation. Only Adriana Leon netted more Barclays FA Women’s Super League goals that Thomas last season and her short-term absence is a real loss to the side.
West Ham United boss Beard has endured a challenging two years in charge of the club which has been made all the more difficult by injuries. Several members of his 2018/2019 squad spent a lot of time in the treatment room and the club’s bad luck with injuries continued last term.