Another January transfer-window signing, Lucas Neill, has been out with a knee injury but is not as advanced in his rehabilitation compared to Upson, with hopes the pair can play a part in dragging West Ham out of the relegation zone.

“Lucas Neill is progressing well following his ankle and knee injuries,” said Hammers physio Steve Allen on whufc.com.

“Matty Upson is progressing okay and we’re hopeful he’ll return to full training this week. James Collins and Lee Bowyer are both back in full training.”

Alan Curbishley’s men are third from bottom and five points behind Wigan, who are a place above them with a superior goal difference.

Defeat at the home of Curbishley’s former club this weekend will see them drop at least one place.

Meanwhile, the club are still waiting to find out if they face action from the Premier League over signing Argentina duo Javier Mascherano and Carlos Tevez earlier in the season.

Officials from the league have accepted Liverpool’s application to sign Mascherano on an 18-month deal after completion of an investigation to establish whether the midfielder was subject to third-party influence.

Tevez and Mascherano were brought to Upton Park by Kia Joorabchian and his Media Sports Investment company, but it has not been established whether registration of the duo broke any rules.

Joorabchian led a consortium bidding to buy the club but they eventually lost out to a group led by current chairman Eggert Magnusson.

For their part, the new owners have assisted the Premier League by supplying them with the documents from the deal to sign Tevez and Mascherano.