Fulham could be without Bobby Zamora until well into the New Year after the club confirmed on Sunday that the striker had suffered a broken fibula in the 2-1 win over Wolves and suffered additional ligament damage in the process.

The injury was sustained as a result of what appeared to be a clean tackle from the combative Karl Henry – the same player who came under the microscope for his “roughing up” of Newcastle’s Joey Barton before the international break. Zamora was left in a crumpled heap and required oxygen before being stretchered from the pitch.

Sunday’s surgery will put Zamora out for around four months, however there’s every chance that the ligament damage revealed by the operation could sideline him for a longer period.
Fulham boss Mark Hughes revealed the potential scale of the injury…

“If the injury is as we think it is, it’s likely to be four months…If the surgeon goes in tomorrow and finds other damage rather than just the break, which is four centimetres above his ankle, it will be even longer than that. The four months looks like a minimum.”

Zamora had started the season in strong form and found the net for the first time this term at Blackpool last time out. He had broken into Fabio Capello’s squad and looked set to continue his renaissance following the huge progress made last season under Roy Hodgson. This injury has cruelly brought that progress to a halt.

In Fantasy terms we now have to consider the alternatives available to Mark Hughes. Mousa Dembele’s two goals in Saturday’s win over Mick McCarthy’s side will immediately elevate in our thinking.

“Mousa was excellent again and is an exciting player. When he’s in possession you expect something positive to happen”

On Sunday Hughes followed that up with further indication that Dembele will now be charged with filling the void left by Zamora’s injury.

“We hope Moussa can get the goals – there’s a big onus on him now that Bobby’s gone…But it’s a big ask, you can’t just hang a hat on Moussa. He’ll get good support from the guys around him and that will help him become the success we think he will be.”

Mark Hughes’ words are true enough. Dembele’s impact on the Premier League have been mightily impressive. At just 5.5 in the Fantasy Premier League game, the Belgian international is an obvious temptation as Hughes’ side prepare for what appears to be a decent run of fixtures (bla EVE whm TOT wba).

It’s worth noting however that Dembele is a different animal to Zamora – much of his best work involves coming deeper to receive the ball and he can also drift into wide positions. Indeed, Dembele started Saturday’s game on the left-wing with Damien Duff sidelined. Hughes has been quick to point out Dembele’s versatility.

“The beauty of Moussa is that he can play in a number of positions. That’s the attraction from my point of view because I like players who have that flexibility.”

Hughes started the Wolves game with Clint Dempsey as partner to Zamora in attack. Dembele switched to the forward line on Zamora’s departure but it’s perhaps Dempsey who seems more likely to spearhead the Fulham attack over the coming weeks. As a midfielder who has seen his price drop from 7.0 to 6.7 in the Fantasy Premier League game, he immediately comes onto our radars.

Dempsey has returned 7 goals in his previous two seasons having often found himself in the striker’s role with our without Zamora’s presence. With the transfer window now slammed shut, it would appear that he now presents the only feasible option for Mark Hughes as a replacement for Zamora. Hughes has Diomansy Kamara, David Elm and Eddie Johnson in his 25-man squad as further options – none of which look to have the credentials to fulfil the role.

Dembele will surely partner Dempsey, buzzing around, linking play and creating havoc but it will be the American who will be charged with holding up play and laying the ball off to oncoming team-mates.

Members can sift the Opta stats for detailed evidence of Dempsey’s potential; a quick scan reveals that he has already registered 8 goal attempts so far this term – only three midfielders in the league have returned more efforts. Dempsey achieved that in 191 minutes of football that include just two starts. His goal threat will surely rise once Dempsey shifts permanently to the striker’s role as expected and establishes a starting berth.