Julen Lopetegui’s press conference: Manchester City-West Ham

It is still unclear how long Jarrod Bowen will be out for after fracturing his foot against Liverpool on Sunday: “It won’t be a few days, that’s for sure. He could have played 50 minutes with the injury, but now he has to rest and recover. It’s not a good news for us. I prefer not to say a figure because we have to see how it will evolve.”

On the hard blow that his absence will be: “He is one of our main players and also our captain, but we have to be able to find solutions. It is a moment for other players to show that they are willing to help us. I believe in the players who are in the squad, they are going to try to take advantage of this opportunity.

He will turn to his “leadership group,” which includes left back Aaron Cresswell and defensive midfielder Tomas Soucek, to find someone to step up and captain the team in Bowen’s absence.

That Michail Antonio has been discharged from hospital and can recover at home is “good news”, but the striker is still “going to be out for a long time”.

On whether he will have to reinforce his forward options in the current transfer market due to having two forwards out for an unknown period: “It is true that we have these two important losses, but the squad knows that we need someone (to take a step forward) ) above). For now, the team is going to solve this problem.”

Meanwhile, striker Niclas Fullkrug is “step by step improving and putting his body in the best condition” so he is “ready to help” the team, but added: “It’s our choice. We can choose it.” or another player, because Danny Ings is also ready and we can use other players in that position.

Goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski will also be back in contention after completing the Premier League’s 10-day protocol for head injuries.

On reaching the halfway point of his first season in charge of the Hammers: “I think we have had good moments but also moments in which we have to improve, that is why we are more demanding of ourselves. We start the second part of this season with the ” Let the team know me better and I know the team better. “I think that’s the foundation we’re trying to build on.”

He expects a “demanding match” against Manchester City: “I’m sure we’re going to play against one of the best teams in the world. We can talk about the last few weeks but I prefer to focus on the team we are.” We are about to face each other and I know that we are going to face a very good team with great players and a great coach. “We need to focus on our strengths and believe in ourselves to overcome this challenge.”

Lopetegui was asked about West Ham’s good form away from home, with only three defeats in nine away games: “I think we try to do well at home and away, for me it has the same importance. We have tried in the last games “It makes it very difficult to score in the last moments, like the last part of the first half and the second. “We try to keep the positive and improve the things we have to improve.”