#PLStories- Gary O’Neil unsure on seriousness of Dom Solanke injury – with striker leaving West Ham in a protective boot #AFCB

GARY O’Neil insisted he did not know the seriousness of Dominic Solanke’s ankle injury picked up at West Ham – with the striker seen leaving London Stadium in a protective boot. Solanke picked up the injury while trying to get a shot off on the counter-attack and being challenged by Thilo Kehrer. He was replaced by Kieffer Moore shortly before West Ham found their opener, when Kurt Zouma controversially headed in after what looked a handball by Kehrer in the build-up following a corner. Cherries went on to lose 2-0 in the capital, with Said Benrahma slotting in a penalty following a handball by Jordan Zemura late on. Solanke has registered two goals and three assists in 10 top-flight games this campaign, following up from 29 Championship goals last season. Giving an injury update, O’Neil told the Daily Echo: “Dom Solanke had some pain in his ankle having rolled it. I don’t know the seriousness of it.” He added: “I think on leaving in a boot that is normal for an ankle injury. That doesn’t mean it’s serious or not – it’s very, very early to know what it is and what it isn’t. “Obviously, we will be desperate for it to be as short as possible.” Cherries also lost goalkeeper Neto to a leg injury in the capital, with Mark Travers coming on at half-time in his place. The Dorset outfit have also been without captain Lloyd Kelly for six games with an ankle problem. O’Neil added: “I think to come to a place like this… to go through the past six weeks, already missing Lloyd Kelly who is massive for us at this level. Huge. Played a huge part in our promotion, one of the best defenders at the club. “To be without Lloyd, to lose your goalie, which always can make a huge impact and the prep you’ve done, to lose Dom who is equally as massive as Lloyd Kelly. The goals he’s scored for us last year, the work he does for us this year. “To go in 1-0 down, with another VAR check against us, no Lloyd Kelly, no Dom Solanke, have to change the goalie. To come out and put in a performance like they did second half takes a huge, huge effort. “Of course, people will talk about the result and it’s a results business but if you have a group like that, you always have a chance and we did, we had a big chance right until the second goal.” Cherries are back in action at home against Tottenham on Saturday (3pm).