Tomkins: Fellaini broke my nose

  • by Staff Writer
  • Monday, 9th February 2015

James Tomkins has revealed he suffered a broken nose following a second half challenge by Manchester United substitute Marouane Fellaini.

The tempestuous midfielder left West Ham's only fully fit centre half in considerable pain after catching him on the hooter during today's 1-1 draw at the Boleyn, which West Ham led until Daley Blind's stoppage-time equaliser.

Yet according to Tomkins, Fellaini's challenge was far less spiteful than Robin Van Persie's first half elbow - an infringement that was punished with nothing more than a free kick by referee Mark Clattenburg despite being clearly visible from all areas of the ground.

Whilst he ended the game battered, bruised and just a little bit broken, the 25-year-old defender produced an excellent performance alongside stand-in defender Cheik Kouyate. The pair marshalled Manchester United's expensive front line superbly with Kouyate's goal being the cherry on the cake.

Tomkins, who was speaking to the Recorder's Dave Evans, added that he expects to be fine to face Southampton at St Mary's on Wednesday night - which is more than be said for fellow defenders Winston Reid and James Collins, neither of whom are expected to recover from injury in time to feature.

That means Kouyate is likely to partner the Basildon-born defender for a second successive game, in what is bound to prove another tough test against one of the division's front-runners.




* Something to say about this story? Please visit the KUMB Forum to leave a comment.



More News