West Ham's superb injury record could yet be their saving grace in relegation battle

West Ham United may have spent the bulk of this season languishing towards the bottom of the Premier League, but there is another table where they are faring far better — and it may yet be the crucial difference in their relegation battle. Following the weekend’s results, Nuno Espirito Santo’s side are back in the relegation zone, one point behind 17th-placed Tottenham Hotspur with three games to go. West Ham face the daunting challenge of hosting league leaders Arsenal this weekend, but at least they will be able to do so with a fully-fit squad. It is in this area where the east London club continue to thrive. West Ham have suffered the second-lowest amount of injuries in the division this season, with only Leeds United doing better. Pablo Felipe, Crysencio Summerville (both calf), Ollie Scarles (shoulder) and Niclas Fullkrug (hamstring) are the squad’s only senior first-team players to endure lengthy absences. Third-choice goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski, who rejoined the club last summer after initially being released, also damaged his back earlier this campaign. West Ham are fighting against dropping down to the Championship for the first time since 2010-11, and having faced so few matches with key players unavailable has hugely boosted their survival chances. Club captain Jarrod Bowen has been ever-present in the league across the first 35 games, starting every one. His last major knock was a foot injury against Liverpool in December 2024, which led to the England international missing five matches. Mads Hermansen and Alphonse Areola, their top two goalkeepers, have not had any fitness issues this season. Neither have midfield pair Tomas Soucek and Mateus Fernandes. In January, key centre-back Konstantinos Mavropanos was carried from the pitch just before half-time in the FA Cup third-round win against Championship side Queens Park Rangers following a head injury, but was mobile post-match as he left the London Stadium and played the full 90 minutes away to Tottenh...