- Lukasz Fabianski collided with Southampton’s Nathan Wood during the first half
- The Polish veteran was duly replaced by West Ham colleague Alphonse Areola
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West Ham goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski was forced off the field on a stretcher after a painful-looking head injury.
The Hammers traveled to Southampton on Boxing Day looking for a morale-boosting win to relieve some of the pressure on Julen Lopetegui against the side 20th in the table.
However, with the scores locked at 0-0 the Polish veteran appeared to collide with Saints defender Nathan Wood’s elbow as both went for a high ball.
Fabianski then was left prone on the ground in clear discomfort, with the game quickly halted.
After a long delay of around seven minutes, the goalkeeper was at last taken off on a stretcher, with medics quick to the scene to attend to the Hammers star.
Similarly swift to react was his opposite number, Aaron Ramsdale, who arrived on the scene to check on Fabianski in a classy gesture from the Saints stopper.
Lukasz Fabianski was forced off the field on a stretcher after a head injury on Boxing Day
The Polish veteran collided in mid-air with Southampton’s Nathan Wood during Thursday’s game
The incident saw a lengthy delay before Fabianski was replaced by team-mate Alphonse Areola
Fabianski was covered with a blanker and his head was placed in a protective brace to minimise and damage caused by the collision.
Both visiting and home fans applauded as the player was transported from the field of play, and down the tunnel.
Following the nasty collision, Amazon Prime’s cameras panned out and declined to show any replays of the incident, and Alphonse Areola was brought on as a replacement for his colleague.
With half-time delayed at St Mary’s as a result of the lengthy stoppage, good news filtered in during the interval.
According to Prime Video’s coverage, the goalkeeper did not go to hospital, but was instead monitored at the ground.
The 39-year-old former Arsenal stopper has made 11 appearances in the Premier League this term, conceding 16 in that time, during a tricky first half of the season from West Ham.
It came during a game in which Fabianski was once again belying his age, having made a stunning stop off Saints star Paul Onuachu just moments before.
With Lopetegui under pressure amid the Hammers’ poor start to the campaign, the visitors had already been handed something of a setback earlier in the game.
Aaron Ramsdale (left) rushed to the scene to check in on his opposite number during the delay
Fabianski has been having a fine game, and made a crucial stop to deny Paul Onuachu
Fabianski has made 11 appearances for Julen Lopetegui’s side in the league this season
Summer arrival Max Kilman was forced off earlier on in the half after picking up what appeared to be a fitness issue of his own, to be replace by Jean-Clair Todibo.
After holding Fulham to a 0-0 draw in west London, Thursday’s clash was the Saints’ first with Ivan Juric in the dugout.
The Croatian boss was brought in last Friday to replace the departed Russell Martin, and his high intensity, defensively solid outlook was showing early signs of permeating Southampton’s play.
After an hour of keeping the Hammers out, Jarrod Bowen eventually made the breakthrough, poking home at the back post from a flick-on from Niclas Fullkrug.
