West Ham boss Manuel Pellegrini admits they've felt the absence of Manuel Lanzini this season.

Pellegrini has a history of building his teams around playmakers, from Juan Roman Riquelme at Villarreal to David Silva at Manchester City, and Lanzini's absence feels particularly unfortunate.

"Manuel had the misfortune of getting injured at his peak moment," Pellegrini told Sky Sports. "He had had a very good season with West Ham and he was considered a starter for Argentina ahead of the World Cup. He is now playing again without fear, but after such a long and serious injury, I think every player needs three or four months to return to their best level."