West Ham’s Cole to miss vital matches

West Ham has revealed that ace striker Carlton Cole does not require surgery on a knee ligament injury picked up on Saturday but will continue to be sidelined for a number of weeks.

Although scan has revealed he will not require surgery after being injured in the 5-3 home win over Burnley, the England international looks set to miss a number of key games over the Christmas period, including the visit of Manchester United on Saturday.

A statement on West Ham’s website read: “Cole will not need surgery on his right knee and having been closely assessed in recent days, will start his rehab with the aim of being back as soon as possible.”

After Cole, who has scored seven goals already, West Ham’s highest league scorer this season is Mexican Guillermo Franco, who has netted three times.

West Ham, who lie in 17th position, have some tough matches in the remainder of 2009 as they attempt to move clear of the relegation zone. Hammers boss Gianfranco Zola is also set to be without Switzerland midfielder Valon Behrami for around three weeks after undergoing minor surgery on a knee injury, while defender Matthew Upson is struggling with a hamstring problem.