West Ham defender Emerson Palmieri is unlikely to be sidelined for a lengthy period after he underwent a scan on the injury he sustained against Fulham, according to The Sun reporter Jack Rosser.

The Italian international was substituted just before the hour mark in the 1-1 draw at the weekend but, writing on his X account, Rosser said that the player has “avoided serious injury”:

West Ham hopeful Emerson has avoided serious injury after scans today.

Picked up a thigh problem at Fulham but scans showed nothing too concerning. #whufc

— Jack Rosser (@JackRosser_) September 16, 2024

It remains to be seen how long Emerson will be out for. If it’s a minor thigh strain, it could be days rather than weeks before he returns.

Lopetegui had raised alarm bells with his comments after the Fulham match

When asked about the left-back’s fitness after the final whistle on Saturday, head coach Julen Lopetegui said the player had sustained a “big knock”.

Fans feared the worst after the manager made those remarks, but it looks like any concerns that Emerson could be sidelined for the long term can be put to rest.

Could the West Ham defender face Chelsea this weekend?

It would be a surprise if Emerson manages to recover in time for Saturday’s London derby. Lopetegui will be hesitant to rush him back, especially as he does have other options in the first-team squad.

The likeliest scenario is that Vladimir Coufal comes into the starting eleven. The Czech international was the man who replaced Emerson at Craven Cottage, with Aaron Wan-Bissaka swapping flanks to cover on the left-hand side of defence.

Of course, there is an alternative, with Aaron Cresswell now available again. The defender returned for the Fulham game, having missed the defeat to Manchester City due to a hamstring issue.

Find out who is in West Ham’s first-team squad for the 2024/2025 season here