David Moyes has eased fears of a centre-back injury crisis ahead of West Ham’s run-in, after revealing the injuries keeping Angelo Ogbonna and Nayef Aguerd out of Sunday’s meeting with Arsenal are minor.
Both players started Thursday’s night’s 1-1 Europa Conference League quarter-final draw against Belgian side Gent, but are missing from Sunday’s derby at the London Stadium.
Speaking ahead of kick-off, Moyes said: “They both tried training yesterday. We thought one of them might make it but they haven’t made it. They’re both carrying knocks. But we don’t think they’re serious.”
In the absence of that duo, Moyes opted to partner Thilo Kehrer with usual first-choice central defender Kurt Zouma, with Aaron Cresswell and Vladimir Coufal at full-back after both impressed on their returns to the League XI for last Saturday’s vital win over Fulham.
The news that neither Ogbonna nor Aguerd are expected to miss any significant period of time is a boost for Moyes, who is juggling his side’s European run with their bid for Premier League survival.
