Tomkins faces anxious wait

James Tomkins will undergo tests today to determine the extent of the damage caused by the injury sustained against Watford.

The 21-year-old defender, who has enjoyed a storming start to the 2011/12 campaign limped off after 68 minutes of last night's 4-0 win at Vicarage Road - a win that catapulted the Hammers into the top three of the Championship.

And speaking after the game, manager Sam Allardyce admitted that he could be set to lose the England under 21 defender for an as-yet-unknown length of time.

"The only downside [to the game] is it's looking like a hamstring injury for James Tomkins," he revealed. "He's been outstanding since I've been here.

"But of course Abdoulaye Faye stepped in and got a little taste of what's to come - and he did very well."

Although some hamstring injuries can heal within a fortnight, a worst-case scenario could see Tomkins benched for up to six weeks - a period that covers at least six matches, including potentially both the first and second rounds of the Carling Cup.

Yet despite the potential loss of the Basildon-born youngster, Allardyce is clearly confident that the former Senegalese international - with whom he worked with at both Bolton and Newcastle before both arrived in east London during the summer - can step up to the plate.