Relief for Cole as ankle blow confirmed as minor sprain
Carlton Cole is expected to be out for a fortnight after spraining his ankle in West Ham's 1-1 draw with Middlesbrough.
Striker Cole limped out of the FA Cup fifth-round tie at Upton Park sparking fears he could be facing a long lay-off. But in a statement, West Ham said: "A positive X-ray showed no fracture and, ahead of an MRI scan to come, it is hoped the sprain could lead to only a two‑week absence at worst."
Winger Luis Boa Morte will be out for up to a month with a groin strain, while Valon Behrami could return from a hamstring injury against Bolton on Saturday.
Manager Gianfranco Zola has hinted that Robert Green and Matthew Upson could among the big names soon to be offered new, long-term contracts.
"There are players here who are the core of this team now and for a long time to come," said boss Zola. "These are people like Matthew Upson, Robert Green, Scott Parker and Lucas Neill.
"Things are going well here but we just need to understand that we want this for a long time."
