Parker recovery key for Hammers

Scott Parker turned in yet another man-of-the-match performance to help haul West Ham off the foot of the Barclays Premier League, despite being unable to walk 24 hours earlier.

Manager Avram Grant revealed he had been resigned to being without the Hammers' talismanic midfielder for Sunday afternoon's 3-1 win over Liverpool after Parker fell on his shoulder five minutes before the end of training on Saturday.

But intense treatment from the club's medical staff, including a pain-killing injection, allowed Parker to take to the field and score at Upton Park, and Grant said: "Scott is a special guy. The spirit he showed was great."

He added: "Three hours before the game, we thought there was no way he would play.

"It was a bad, bad injury. He couldn't walk or move his arms.

"The medical department were sure he couldn't play, but they did a good job and gave him 24 hours of treatment.

"He needed more than an injection, but the medical department did brilliantly with him.

"He's the type of player I like: he always gives 100%, is always positive.

"I like some of the things from old-fashioned play. That's what they did in the olden days. They gave everything."