West Ham United midfielder Scott Parker has been ruled out for two months with a new knee injury.

Parker was substituted in the second half of the Premier League match at home to Manchester United ten days ago after suffering a knock in a challenge from Cristiano Ronaldo early in the game. His absence is a blow to Alan Curbishley, the West Ham manager, who is missing eight players.

Parker joined the club for £7 million from Newcastle United last summer, but he suffered a knee injury during the tour to Austria in preseason.

On his second match after his return, he limped off with the same knee injury at half-time during the 1-0 defeat at home to Arsenal in September. He was out for two months, even though a scan revealed that medial ligament damage was not serious. He has played eight matches since returning in the 1-1 draw against Tottenham Hotspur in November and had hoped to be in contention for the first England squad to be named by Fabio Capello, the new manager, this month.