Could Manuel Pellegrini turn to Javier Hernandez to replace Andriy Yarmolenko?

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West Ham United boss Manuel Pellegrini has a host of injuries at the moment – the latest being Andriy Yarmolenko.

The summer signing from Borussia Dortmund badly damaged his achilles tendon against Tottenham Hotspur and had to undergo corrective surgery as a result.

He now faces a lay-off of six months, meaning Pellegrini has some thinking to do about how best to replace the Ukrainian.

Some have suggested that the Chilean should start giving more chances to talented youngster Grady Diangana, who burst onto the scene in the recent 8-0 thrashing of Macclesfield Town in the Carabao Cup.

Others believe Michail Antonio or Robert Snodgrass could be the answer.

But there is another course of action Pellegrini might consider taking.

Hernandez to return?

Javier Hernandez has become something of a forgotten man at West Ham.

With Marko Arnautovic flourishing most weekends, life has been difficult for the Mexican.

He’s made five appearances totalling 173 minutes of action in the Premier League, only one of which has been a start.

The ex-Manchester United striker is yet to make his mark for the Hammers, and he’s been at the club for just over a year now.

He has looked a shadow of the player he was when he was at Old Trafford at times, but in his defence he hasn’t always had the service or the run of games.

Now could be his chance though, if Pellegrini wants to change things up.

The only thing going against Hernandez is the fact that West Ham have injury problems in central midfield, meaning a 4-3-1-2 system could be out of the question.

That said, perhaps Felipe Anderson could move back out wide, with Arnautovic to play off of Hernandez in a number 10 role, and one of Antonio, Snodgrass or Diangana could replace Yarmolenko directly.