Graham Potter welcomes Fulham and Crystal Palace to the London Stadium in the next two West Ham fixtures.

Fulham and Crystal Palace will travel to West Ham to take on a Hammers side without marquee summer signing Niclas Fullkrug over the next week with Graham Potter handed his first huge blow since arriving at the London Stadium.

The former Chelsea and Brighton boss took over from Julen Lopetegui last week following an underwhelming six months under the Spaniard's stewardship. Potter was in immediate action when overseeing the side in FA Cup action against Aston Villa on Friday night.

The Hammers suffered a 2-1 defeat to the Villains with Amadou Onana and Morgan Rogers on the scoresheet to complete a comeback after an early Lucas Paqueta goal. Potter's starting XI included Fullkrug, who Lopetegui signed for £27 million from Borussia Dortmund last summer.

Niclas Fullkrug injury woes continue

Fullkrug has missed 10 Premier League fixtures with an Achilles injury already this season before returning against Leicester City in December, when he scored. The German then added another goal to his name against Manchester City, with an assist against Southampton too, amid the first signs of form.

However, Fullkrug is not set for another three months on the treatment table after limping off with just 15 minutes on the clock against Aston Villa with a serious hamstring injury. Speaking after the game, Potter said: "I would imagine it's quite a severe hamstring injury when you pull up like that so that's a concern for us."

Fullkrug, who had been linked with a January exit from West Ham after such a difficult start to life in London, opened up about the transition when speaking with German podcast Copa TS last year. Via Sport Witness, He said: "Of course, I also had very intensive discussions about such a risky step. Because I knew that I was taking a step deeper and taking a certain risk that I wouldn’t play internationally (in Europe) next year, maybe not the year after that either, and that I would make a big, big change.

“I was aware of that, I communicated a lot with the coach, spoke a lot with Tim Steidten, who I know from my time at Bremen, which is how we got in touch so closely. Of course, we had completely different goals. Things were going really badly for me too, to put it bluntly."

West Ham host Fulham and Crystal Palace in next two

Former Hammers boss Lopetegui had responded to those comments and backed the player, who scored 16 goals in all competitions last term for Dortmund, to come good at West Ham. The ex Wolves boss said: “He had one injury unfortunately for us and for him for three months he was out of the team. After that is to recover the rhythm and to be ready for the rhythm of the demanding Premier League.

“Step by step he is better and I am sure he is going to become an important player for us. He’s a very good player, for sure the team is going to need him and that’s good news for us.”

West Ham are next in action on Tuesday evening with the visit of Marco Silva's Fulham to the London Stadium, when Potter will make his home debut as Hammers manager. West Ham then host Crystal Palace on Saturday in Premier League action.