Hughes confirms Roberts KO

Mark Hughes has confirmed that striker Jason Roberts had suffered a broken metatarsal.

Mark Hughes confirmed after Blackburn's disappointing defeat to West Ham on Sunday that striker Jason Roberts has suffered a broken metatarsal.

The muscular frontman was involved in an innocuous incident midway through the first half which forced his withdrawal from the action, and a subsequent x-ray revealed the extent of the injury.

"We lost Jason Roberts with a broken metatarsal today and that is a major disappointment to us," Hughes told Sky Sports 1.

A return date has not yet been set for the unfortunate Roberts, who had only just regained his first team place after being laid low with a groin injury, but six to eight weeks' rehabilitation is the minimum requirement for a broken metatarsal.

News of Roberts's injury would have done little to lighten Hughes's mood, after his side fell to a 2-1 defeat at Upton Park - for The Hammers' first victory since the opening day of the season.

"It was a poor day in the office," Hughes added.

"We lost basically because our performance in the first half was not good enough.

"The second half was much better. We asked a few questions but let ourselves down on set plays again which is a recurring thing at the moment.

"From that point on the game was lost. We were a bit lightweight today and missing important players."