West Ham United captain Mark Noble will miss the final two games of the season as he undergoes surgery for an abdominal injury.
Noble sits out Sunday's home game against Liverpool and the final-day visit to Burnley after the London club secured Premier League safety with a win over Tottenham last week.
Stijn Vandenbroucke, West Ham's Head of Medical and Sports Science, told the club's official website that Noble "has been playing in pain, but he is the captain and he wanted to do everything he could to ensure the club retained its Premier League status."
"Mark is as brave as they come." ⬇️#COYI https://t.co/76FdFxff25
- West Ham United (@WestHamUtd) 11 May 2017
He added: "Mark is as brave as they come and ignored the pain as best he could, but the Premier League takes its toll.
"We attended an appointment with the specialist on the evening before the Tottenham game and it was deemed that the surgery was now urgent.
"But he played in the game and played a big part in the victory that ensured the club's safety."