West Ham are facing up to another month without star playmaker Manuel Lanzini with his recovery from a knee injury stalling significantly.
Lanzini has only played 45 minutes this season and is struggling to make progress towards a return, training alone throughout September.
Tuesday's Carabao Cup clash with Bolton Wanderers would have presented an ideal opportunity to ease the Argentine back in — but manager Slaven Bilic does not expect him back until after the October international break now.
Bilic will rest Andy Carroll at the London Stadium, another player plagued by injury trouble, after admitting he cannot call on his striker to play three times in eight days.