West Ham boss David Moyes has confirmed awful injury news about Alphonse Areola and it's come at the worst possible time.

Yesterday the top source inside West Ham told Hammers News Alphonse Areola had been sent for a scan on the injury which forced him off at half-time at Newcastle.

West Ham went in at half-time leading 2-1 but big cat Areola did not come back out for the second half.

Lukasz Fabianski replaced the Frenchman and the Hammers went on to make it 3-1 before a disastrous late collapse saw the Hammers lose 4-3.

The injury sustained by Areola is to the top of his inside thigh and groin area.

Now David Moyes has confirmed awful Areola injury news for West Ham at the worst possible time.

Because the manager says the Frenchman now faces a spell on the sidelines.

MORE WEST HAM STORIES

Awful Areola injury news comes at worst possible time Just as West Ham enter their busiest and most important period of the season.

And with no proven back-up beyond Fabianski.

"Alphonse Areola has hurt his groin so at the moment it looks like he's going to be out for a little bit," Moyes told the club's website ahead of Spurs.

"We hope it's not too serious but Lukasz Fabianski will come in."

That may be all well and good.

Areola is having a superb season and this is a massive blow.

Even if Areola is out for the average period of two to three weeks for an injury in that area, he will miss a host of crucial Premier League games - starting with bitter rivals Spurs on Tuesday night.

Fabianski has been playing in the Europa League anyway. But it was reassuring knowing Areola was there if needed for that huge quarter-final against Bayer Leverkusen.

Inexperienced Anang the only back-up to Fabianski West Ham's squad depth beyond Areola and Fabianski is not huge.

Most Premier League clubs have three senior goalkeepers but the Hammers only have two.

Fabianski is an able - if ageing - deputy to Areola. But beyond that Moyes only has youngster Joseph Anang who is completely untested at the top level.

The majority of Premier League clubs have three senior goalkeepers with a veteran as third choice.

But since the departures of David Martin and Darren Randolph West Ham have elected to elevate Anang to that role.

The worrying thing now is that the young Ghana-born star may be thrown in at the deep end should Areola be ruled out for a length of time and anything happen to Fabianski.

We just have to hope that situation does not rear its ugly head.