Brevett faces lay-off

The growing injury crisis at West Ham will force the troubled First Division club into the transfer market again this week.

Rufus Brevett left Upton Park with his left foot in plaster after Saturday’s goalless draw with Sheffield United. If a scan today reveals that Brevett faces a lengthy lay-off then Glenn Roeder will step up his search for at least one more defender.

Anton Ferdinand missed the game because of injury and could be out of Saturday’s Rotherham trip.

Sadly for Roeder, neither Steve Lomas nor Michael Carrick are ready for a return to first-team action in midfield. “Steve is still short of fitness but Michael could be back in two or three weeks,” he said.

A section of the crowd demonstrated their displeasure at chairman Terry Brown over the sale of Joe Cole, Frederic Kanoute, Trevor Sinclair and Glen Johnson.

Non-executive director Trevor Brooking said today: “The problem has been relegation. The sale of players was a necessary consequence. There was no real option for the club once we lost our Premiership status.”