Max Kilman will not feature in West Ham United’s first Championship match after the international break after picking up his fifth booking of the league season during Saturday’s defeat by Blackburn Rovers.

Heading to Ewood Park for this afternoon’s fateful 3pm kick-off, the £40 million centre-back picked up four yellow cards against his name. A fifth, in 15 Championship outings, means Max Kilman will now incur a one-match ban.

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West Ham United’s much-maligned number three was booked by referee Thomas Kirk moments after former Hammers kid Dapo Afolayan maintained his terrific form against the club where he started his career.

Max Kilman picks up a Championship suspension in West Ham United loss

Afolayan doubled Blackburn’s lead from the edge of the penalty area, outfoxing Mads Hermansen while driving the ball into the corner. Kilman was dragging himself off the canvas as Afolayan’s strike hit the net, having gone down under a fierce challenge from Yuki Ohashi.

Captain Jarrod Bowen led the complaints, the visiting players feeling that Kirk should have stopped play after what initially appeared to be a head injury. The referee clearly believed that Kilman had exaggerated the contact, however, before booking the former Wolves skipper for his frustration.

Kilman has played every minute of West Ham’s 15 Championship games this term. That run will be brought to an end when relegation-threatened Preston North End make the trip to East London on November 21st.

Airidas Golambeckis started in Konstantinos Mavropanos’ absence in the 3-1 defeat by West Brom and will hope to take Kilman’s place against Graham Alexander’s Lilywhites. Morato is also an option to step in, after Ezra Mayers produced another lively performance at left-back in Lancashire.

Taty Castellanos, who had to make do with a cameo appearance here, is also one yellow away from a ban. The five-game limit will be extended to ten following the 19th matchday.