Hammers boss David Moyes has delivered a glum injury update for West Ham’s clash against Chelsea after Kurt Zouma rumours.
West Ham entertain Chelsea at the London Stadium on Saturday lunchtime for what is set to be a huge game for both teams.
It is fair to say West Ham and Chelsea have fallen way below expectations in the Premier League this season.
So there is plenty riding on this particular east vs west London derby.
West Ham seem to be slowly but surely turning a corner in their battle for survival under Moyes and recorded a 1-1 draw at Champions League hopefuls Newcastle last time out.
Meanwhile Chelsea are under increasing pressure with their mammoth £600m spend weighing Graham Potter down in mid-table – a full 10 points off Newcastle in fourth.
Both West Ham and the Blues have mixed injury news ahead of the clash.
West Ham go into the game with doubts over the availability of a host of players including key defender Kurt Zouma.
Zouma has been out since injuring his thigh on his return to action against Everton.
There were rumours in West Ham circles on social media this week that Zouma had been in training and could be back involved against his old club Chelsea.
West Ham also have doubts over striker Gianluca Scamacca – who did train this week – Alphonse Areola, Maxwel Cornet and Thilo Kehrer.
Now Moyes has delivered a glum injury update for the West Ham clash against Chelsea after the Zouma rumours.
Speaking in his pre-Chelsea press conference, Moyes says West Ham will go into the Chelsea game with much the same squad as the Newcastle game.
That means the Zouma talk was premature and Scamacca, Areola and Cornet remain out. Moyes also confirmed the doubts over Kehrer but did give some hope the key stars are on their way back soon.
“Probably much the way we were at the weekend,” Moyes told the press on Friday afternoon (whufc.com and Football.London).
“Thilo is a problem, Thilo came off with an injury. I don’t think we’ve got any of the boys back from last week.
“Hopefully they are on the way back and we will get them back for the second half of the season.”
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