West Ham: David Moyes faces tricky balancing act over most important player Lucas Paqueta

For a reminder of Lucas Paqueta's creative importance to West Ham, consider that in the seven-match winless run that has haunted David Moyes since the turn of the year, the playmaker has featured for only 14 minutes — and yet still laid on a quarter of his team's goals.

Since Paqueta limped off after crafting Jarrod Bowen's opener in a doomed FA Cup tie against Bristol City at the start of last month, Moyes has seen his team score just three times in the best part of six matches, and two of those from the penalty spot. Devoid of their Brazilian magnifico, it has been five-and-a-half hours of toil since the Hammers last found the net from open play.

Amid uncertainty over his future and fan dissent rooted in style, rather than substance, concerns, it goes without saying that Paqueta's imminent return to action is a major boost for Moyes, the club's record-signing back in training this week following a calf issue.

The Hammers boss was on Friday afternoon due to give an update on the state of his squad ahead of Saturday's game at Nottingham Forest, with a decision over Paqueta's involvement to be made after this morning's training session.

Whether Moyes deems the midfielder ready or else waits for the home visit of Brentford a further nine days down the track remains to be seen. But it has been made clear during Paqueta's absence that how he is managed between now and the end of the season will play a major part in West Ham's fortunes — and perhaps, by proxy, Moyes's own hopes of securing a new deal.

Paqueta's injury against Bristol City came after he had returned swiftly from a similar issue sustained only two games earlier.

While those of us on the outside will never know the element of risk involved, nor be privy to medical advice, a further recurrence would be a bad look for all concerned, as Crystal Palace and Roy Hodgson have found recently in the case of Michael Olise.

Since seeing his first six months in English football disrupted by injury, Paqueta has proven himself more robust than billed, but in his absence West Ham have sold the only two players — Said Benrahma and Pablo Fornals — able to provide the occasional breather on the left-wing. Even that is ignoring the fact that Paqueta is himself a No10 at heart.

Moyes then, faces a balancing act, desperate for quick points to lift a darkening mood but knowing that, on the evidence of seven grim matches, the fate of West Ham's season depends on keeping their most important player fit.