West Ham United No2 Steve Clarke hopes fans do not expect too much from Zavon Hines.

England Under-21 coach Stuart Pearce called him up for next week's game with Macedonia after Hines gave Liverpool's Jamie Carragher a hard time in the Premier League last month.

But the 20-year-old was put back on the bench for West Ham's most recent game, the 3-1 defeat at Manchester City on Monday night, and Clarke made no promises he would start in Sunday's Upton Park derby with fellow strugglers Fulham.

He said: "You have to look at the bigger picture with younger players - we have a duty to protect them.

"Zavon came off the bench against Manchester City and looked lively again. He will be involved at the weekend.

"He has come from nowhere in a short space of time and we have to protect him rather than throw him in the first team and hope every game he is going to be fantastic."