**West Ham and England striker Carlton Cole will be sidelined for “a number of weeks” with a knee ligament injury.**The 26-year-old looks set to miss several matches, including the visit of Manchester United on Saturday.
But a scan has revealed he will not require surgery after being injured in the 5-3 home win over Burnley.
“Having been closely assessed in recent days, he will start his rehab with the aim of being back as soon as possible,” said a West Ham spokesman.
Cole is a reported £20m target for several Premier League clubs in the January transfer window.
He was involved in a collision with Burnley goalkeeper Brian Jensen in Saturday’s match.
The England striker scored his seventh league goal of the season from the penalty spot, despite receiving earlier treatment for the knock.
West Ham have declined to give exact details of Cole’s injury, or the likely lay-off period for centre-back Matthew Upson, who injured his hamstring in training a week ago.
Upson had a scan before the Burnley defeat, but the result has not been made public.
It is a particular blow for West Ham to lose Cole, who was signed from Chelsea in July 2006, after he had just returned from a hamstring strain against Aston Villa on 4 November.
After Cole, West Ham’s highest league scorer this season is Mexican Guillermo Franco, who has netted three times.
West Ham, who lie in 17th position, have some tough matches in the remainder of 2009 as they attempt to move clear of the relegation zone.
The home match against Manchester United is followed by trips to Birmingham and Bolton, home games against Chelsea and Portsmouth, and an away fixture at Tottenham.