Cole in Hammers blow

West Ham face being down to just one fit striker for Saturday’s Barclays Premier League clash with Everton after Carlton Cole aggravated a long-standing hip problem.

The Upton Park injury crisis deepened when Cole was forced off in the second half of last night’s Carling Cup quarter-final defeat to the Toffees.

The Hammers are already down to the bare bones. With Craig Bellamy and Bobby Zamora on the long-term injury list, manager Alan Curbishley had no forwards available to even include on the bench last night.

Dean Ashton is still chasing full-match fitness but started his first game since October in the 2-1 defeat and may have to lead the line on his own this weekend.

“We are into double figures again on the injury list and one or two of the players came off suffering last night. I will have to see what I have left for the weekend,” said Curbishley.

“When you come into the quarter-final of the cup and you can’t get a forward on the bench it is frustrating.

“The injuries showed up. They were sharper and more physical than us.”

Cole was an early arrival at West Ham’s Chadwell Heath training ground this morning to undergo treatment in the hope he will be passed fit to feature at the weekend.

“I have been playing with a bad hip for about four or five weeks now and last night it just seized up,” he said.

“It restricted me a bit and I couldn’t influence the game as much as I wanted to.”

West Ham’s catalogue of injuries have undermined Curbishley’s best-laid summer plans.

New recruits Bellamy, Kieron Dyer, Scott Parker, Julien Faubert and Freddie Ljungberg have all spent more time in the treatment room than at training.

The injury list hit double figures after Matthew Etherington suffered a groin problem in last weekend’s win over Blackburn at Ewood Park.

And while the influential Nolberto Solano will return to the side on Saturday after being cup-tied, Luis Boa Morte took a knock to his thigh last night and also failed to make the full 90 minutes.

Whether he plays on Saturday or not, Cole is convinced West Ham will come out “with all guns blazing” to avenge their Carling Cup exit.

West Ham dug out an impressive victory at Blackburn last weekend but have managed just two home wins against Premier League opposition all season.

Cole gave the Hammers an early lead last night but Everton soon assumed control and drew level through Leon Osman before Ayegbeni Yakubu pounced on a mix-up between Robert Green and Danny Gabbidon to seal the win two minutes from time.

Cole said: “The boys are disappointed but we will come back firing. We have great heart and spirit in the club and that epitomises what we are about.

“We will come back to get the result we felt deserved last night, but it didn’t quite work for us.

“It is lucky we have got the chance to respond straightaway, instead of waiting and holding the hurt in our hearts.

“And on Saturday we will go out all guns blazing. And this result will give us more inspiration to do the job and give the fans what they need.”