Andy Carroll out TWO MONTHS with knee injury in hammer blow to West Ham's European hopes

The game at Southampton was Carroll’s first appearance this month and now boss Sam Allardyce must do without the player for some time

Hammer blow: Carroll could miss as many as two months with a knee injury

Andy Carroll is set to be out for two months in a massive blow for the West Ham striker.

Carroll suffered a knee injury in the second half of the 0-0 draw at Southampton on Wednesday and left St Mary’s on crutches.

It is believed the forward aggravated a previous injury to his left knee and scans have revealed the extent of the problem.

The game at Southampton was Carroll’s first appearance this month and now boss Sam Allardyce must do without the player for six to eight weeks.

It is a devastating setback for the targetman whose form had pushed him back into contention for a place in Roy Hodgson’s next England squad.

The Three Lions break for their next European Championship qualifier against Lithuania at the end of March.