West Ham striker Craig Bellamy has seen the surgeon who treated Michael Owen in an attempt to shake off his groin injury.

The 28-year-old has missed the Hammers' last three games with the problem, and is out of tomorrow's trip to Aston Villa.

Bellamy is also likely to miss Wales' European Championship qualifiers in Cyprus and San Marino this month, so West Ham booked an appointment at the Munich clinic of Dr Ulrike Muschaweck.

Owen underwent stomach surgery at the clinic last weekend to cure a groin problem.

West Ham assistant manager Mervyn Day said: ''We are hoping we will get a definitive answer very soon about what the problem is and how long it will take to fix.

''If we get the same answer Michael Owen and Newcastle got then we will be very happy, because Owen was tipped to recover in eight to 12 days.

''I can't see Craig playing for Wales, though. It's something for our manager Alan Curbishley to discuss with Welsh boss John Toshack, but I think he is very doubtful.''

West Ham head to Villa attempting to halt a slide which has seen them lose their last two league games, at Newcastle and at home to Arsenal.

Curbishley's team are likely to face former players Nigel Reo-Coker and Marlon Harewood, who left the Hammers for Villa Park during the summer.

West Ham have won two of their three away games and Day is in confident mood ahead of the trip to the Midlands.

He continued: ''We are looking at a situation where the players we have signed have done really well for us."