Niclas Fullkrug is delivering the kind of goalscoring form that would help West Ham cruise to automatic promotion, with the German’s latest heroics proving rather ironic amid the struggles of Nuno Espirito Santo’s current striker contingent.

The teams winning promotion from the Championship almost always have the best or most reliable goalscorer leading the line, but West Ham will have to buck that trend if they are to return to the Premier League this season.

Nuno Espirito Santo’s side are well placed in the promotion race after their crucial victory at Swansea, but the uncomfortable truth is that West Ham are succeeding despite their three strikers rather than because of them.

Pablo offers the best all-round package, but his finishing remains a major concern. Taty Castellanos arrived from Lazio for a reported £27m in January with expectations that he would become a dominant force, only to lose his place after struggling to make a consistent impact. Joel Piroe, meanwhile, has yet to make the desired impression since joining on loan from Leeds.

Which makes what Niclas Fullkrug is doing in Germany all the more frustrating for the Hammers.

Fullkrug delivers another double for Werder Bremen

While West Ham’s forwards continue to toil, their on-loan striker is enjoying a sensational return on loan at Werder Bremen.

It continued a remarkable run for the German, who has now scored seven goals in seven appearances across competitions, according to the figures behind his recent streak.

Fullkrug had already found the net against Borussia Dortmund last weekend, scoring a stoppage-time equaliser in another 2-2 draw. He has now scored in five consecutive Bundesliga matches, giving Bremen a goalscorer who can make the difference when they need him most.

The transformation is striking when compared with his difficult time in east London.

Fullkrug struggled with injuries and fitness during his West Ham spell, managing just three goals in 27 appearances before his loan move to AC Milan last season.

He has now returned to Bremen on a season-long loan from the Hammers, with the Bundesliga club confirming the agreement in August.

There were West Ham supporters who argued that Fullkrug should have been given the opportunity to lead the line in the Championship following relegation.

West Ham fans may have had a point about Fullkrug

His lack of pace and mobility was exposed in the Premier League, where he struggled to provide the dynamism required of a modern striker. But supporters believed the second tier would be a different proposition, allowing him to use his physical presence, aerial ability and finishing to greater effect.

Fullkrug appears fitter and sharper, and his confidence in front of goal is growing with every appearance. His brace against Paderborn was another reminder that the German knows where the net is when he is given the opportunity to play regularly.

That does not mean West Ham’s decision to sanction a loan was necessarily wrong. His injury record and difficulties adapting to English football made it a complicated situation. But watching him score for fun elsewhere while their own strikers waste chances is hardly ideal for the Hammers.

West Ham’s win at Swansea was hugely important, but it also underlined the need for greater ruthlessness in front of goal.

While a solid defence is key for any side in a promotion race, so too is having a striker who threatens the 30-goal mark.

Jarrod Bowen is going to chip in with his fair share from wide but Fullkrug’s goals in Germany are a timely reminder of what West Ham are missing: a striker who can turn half-chances into goals and deliver when pressure is highest.

The Hammers remain firmly in contention for promotion, but if their current forwards continue to struggle, Nuno and the recruitment team will have to consider their options when the January transfer window opens.

For now, Fullkrug is providing the goals elsewhere. West Ham need somebody to start doing the same in east London.