West Ham set for injury boost ahead of Aston Villa with key man 'ahead of schedule'
While it remains an outside chance for the time being, West Ham United boss Graham Potter could be in a position to welcome key man Jarrod Bowen back into his squad for the first time ahead of their second trip to Aston Villa in the space of a month this weekend.
Potter recently replaced Julen Lopetegui as the Irons' new boss, although it's been a mixed bag of a start to life at the London Stadium; after losing 2-1 to Villa in the FA Cup third round, Potter has since guided the Irons to victory over Fulham but watched them slip to defeat to Crystal Palace last time out.
West Ham have, though, been without the stricken attacking trio of Bowen, Michail Antonio and Niclas Fullkrug, the latter who limped off at Villa Park at the beginning of the month with a severe hamstring injury. Bowen fractured his foot in the beating the Hammers took at home to Liverpool just after Christmas, but within a month it's been teased that he could make a remarkable return to the squad.
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"He's doing everything he can to get on the pitch as soon as possible," Potter said. "We just need to make sure it's in a safe way, and it's a good way for him because we want to get him back and we want him to stay back. You know Jarrod, he wants to be out there, he wants to play and we're trying to pull the reins on him rather than the other way around.
"He's fantastic to have around the place. He’s just champing and wants to get out and help but he just has to take his medicine at the moment and just do his rehab properly. He was out jogging today with the individual physio, so it's positive. I think if I'm looking at it now, Jarrod will be ahead of schedule rather than behind schedule."
