This article is part of Football FanCast’s Injury News series, which considers the impact of the latest updates on players’ fitness.

Manuel Lanzini will be out for two months, after fracturing his collarbone during West Ham United’s 3-0 loss against Burnley, as reported by The Guardian.

Unfortunate for the 26-year-old

This is a massive blow for Lanzini, who has been an important player for the team at times this season.

He especially excelled at the beginning of the campaign when he assisted against Brighton & Hove Albion, before getting another against Watford and winning the penalty for Mark Noble’s opener.

The Argentinian had been fairly quiet in the last six games though, only starting twice, getting an assist in the loss against Newcastle United.

All of this follows a season in which he only managed to make 10 substitute appearances due to a cruciate ligament rupture, so to pick up another lengthy injury will be a massive blow.

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Time for Pablo Fornals to step up

Fornals has been underwhelming since arriving in east London, starting 5 Premier League games so far, coming off the bench for 6, with no league goal contributions.

He has only got the ball in the back of the net once in claret and blue, with that coming in the Carabao Cup against Newport County.

The 23-year-old has struggled to show much of a creative presence at all in the league, managing just 0.5 key passes and 0.4 dribbles per game.

Tony Cottee summed things up while speaking with FFC: “I’m concerned, obviously, because so far he’s really, really struggled with the pace of the Premier League.”

Lanzini plays a similar position to the Spaniard, so Fornals could get more chances to get on the pitch and show how useful he can be for the club while he is ruled out.

He needs to take this opportunity and begin to display the technique and ability that led West Ham to sign him in the first place.