West Ham United manager Sam Allardyce will reportedly be without midfielder Joe Cole for at least six weeks after he suffered a hamstring tear in training last week.

Cole was ruled out of Saturday's 1-0 defeat to Stoke City with the problem, which is now believed to be worse than first feared.

The 31-year-old had a scan on the injury that showed a grade three hamstring tear, ruling him out of the Hammers' next four Premier League games, according to the Daily Star.

Allardyce already has injury problems in central midfield after losing Alou Diarra to a cruciate ligament injury in last week's League Cup win over Cheltenham Town.

West Ham fans watched Cole score their first goal of the Premier League campaign against Cardiff City two weeks ago, but will now not see the England international in action until October at the earliest.