West Ham United's hopes of finally securing a clean sheet have received a significant lift ahead of their FA Cup third-round tie against Queens Park Rangers. The Championship side will be without two of their most potent attacking threats due to injury, handing the struggling Premier League outfit a potential lifeline.
QPR's Attacking Blow Ahead of Cup Clash
The news from Loftus Road confirms a double injury setback that severely dents QPR's hopes of causing an upset at the London Stadium on Sunday, 9th January 2026. Striker Rumarn Burrell, who has been a revelation since his summer signing with 10 goals this season, is expected to be sidelined until the end of March. He was forced off shortly after scoring in the 3-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday.
Adding to manager Julien Stephan's woes, winger Kwame Poku also picked up an issue in that match and is not expected to return to training until February. The loss of Burrell's clinical finishing and Poku's creativity is a major blow for a QPR side sitting 11th in the Championship.
Hammers' Defensive Crisis Seeks Respite
For West Ham, this injury news offers a glimmer of hope in what has been a torrid defensive campaign. Under manager Nuno Espirito Santo, the team possesses the worst defensive record in the Premier League, having conceded 43 goals already this term. Alarmingly, the Hammers have not kept a clean sheet in any competition since a 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest at the end of August 2025.
Nuno is desperate for a positive result after a winless run stretching back to the start of November, which included painful defeats to relegation rivals Wolves and Forest. The FA Cup represents a chance to reset, but defensive solidity remains the paramount concern.
Team Selection Dilemmas for Nuno
The West Ham boss faces key decisions in his backline. The centre-back pairing of Jean-Clair Todibo and Konstantinos Mavropanos started the last match, with Max Kilman dropping to the bench. The full-back positions are also impacted by the absence of Aaron Wan-Bissaka and El Hadji Malick Diouf, who are away at the Africa Cup of Nations, likely meaning continued roles for Ollie Scarles and Kyle Walker-Peters.
While QPR will be buoyed by West Ham's fragile confidence, the absence of their key summer signings tilts the balance. For the Hammers, a victory and, crucially, a shutout against a depleted QPR attack could provide the foundation to salvage their faltering season.
