Thursday 27 December 2018 23:52, UK
West Ham manager Manuel Pellegrini says Marko Arnautovic is ready to return to full training ahead of Sunday's trip to Burnley.
Arnautovic has been out of action since sustaining a hamstring injury against Cardiff on December 4.
Pellegrini has suggested the Austria international could feature at Turf Moor but ruled Javier Hernandez out of the match.
Speaking after Thursday's 2-1 win over Southampton, Pellegrini said: "Chicharito will not be ready to play [against Burnley].
"Marko [Arnautovic], we will see him tomorrow. He will start working with normality this week."
Burnley are three points adrift of safety after suffering a 5-1 defeat to Everton on Boxing Day.
However, Pellegrini expects the Clarets to be tough opponents despite their struggles this season.
He said: "Burnley is in a difficult moment, without any doubt.
"They are at the bottom of the table and conceding too many goals but I don't think the players and the manager have forgotten what they did last season.
"We must be very careful against them."
West Ham, meanwhile, are up to ninth in the table after coming from behind to beat the Saints but Pellegrini wants the Hammers to be challenging for the European places by the end of the season.
He said: "We are happy because we are in a good moment but it is very clear we must improve.
"For me, to be ninth is not good. I don't like to be in that position.
"Not because I think that we deserve to be higher, because we started very badly, but this team must demonstrate what they are able to do.
"We must always try to continue being a big club."
