West Ham United entertain Shrewsbury in their FA Cup third round replay on Tuesday night.
West Ham have turned a corner under David Moyes and lifted themselves up to 11th in the Premier League table with a superb 4-1 win at Huddersfield at the weekend.
One of their worst performances under Moyes was the 0-0 draw in the original tie against the Shrews when a much-changed side toiled throughout and registered just one shot on target.
The Hammers be even more fancied under the lights at the London Stadium with a fourth round tie against either Wigan Athletic or Bournemouth awaiting the victor.
West Ham fans had been looking forward to seeing star name Javier Hernandez get another chance to prove he can make a fist of his Hammers career and possibly bag a goal or two to kickstart his season after falling out of favour under Moyes.
Hernandez has been linked with moves to China, MLS and Manchester United this January with Sky Sports claiming the club is willing to listen to offers for Mexico’s all-time leading goalscorer.
And it appears Hammers fans will be forced to wait to see Hernandez get his chance because he has been ruled out after contracting the flu, as reported by Sky Sports on the eve of the game.
That could mean fans – who were so desperate for Chicarito be a hit in the East End – have seen him in a claret and blue shirt for the last time if he does end up leaving the East Londoners anytime soon.
Hernandez has scored just four goals in 20 games for West Ham so far, many of those as a substitute.
And he has failed to be on the winning side in any of the games in which he has found the net with a brace in a 3-2 defeat at Southampton, a goal against Crystal Palace in a 2-2 draw and one against Tottenham Hotspur in another 3-2 defeat.
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