David Moyes provides injury update on five West Ham…

David Moyes provides injury update on five West Ham players ahead of AEK Larnaca fixture

West Ham United manager David Moyes has confirmed that Ivorian winger Maxwel Cornet will be in the squad for the first time in over five months for Thursday night’s Europa Conference League round of 16 first leg tie against AEK Larnaca.

The £17.5million signing from Burnley in August has not played a senior match since suffering a hamstring injury on his full Premier League debut for the club on October 1 against Wolverhampton Wanderers, but did make his return to competitive action last Friday, playing 45 minutes in the under-21s Premier League 2 defeat to Manchester City.

However, while Cornet is in the travelling party, Moyes has said that it is unlikely he will feature, instead expecting him to come back into full contention after this month’s international break.

Centre-back Thilo Kehrer (illness) and striker Michail Antonio (hamstring) are both also in the squad after missing the 4-0 defeat to Brighton and Hove Albion last Saturday. Centre-back Angelo Ogbonna is also in the squad, despite coming off injured in the second half of that game with concerns over a knee issue.

“Micky is travelling with us, he had a bit of a hamstring (issue) he felt after the game at Old Trafford, but doesn’t seem too bad at the moment,” Moyes told football.london “Thilo as you know was sick, but he’s travelling with us as well.

“I’m bringing Maxi Cornet with me. He played the other night but I generally think he’s not ready to play yet, but I’m bringing him with me to be in the squad but I think he’s a wee bit away yet. Maybe more likely to be ready after the international games, but I’ve got him with me.

“Angelo Ogbonna has picked up a bit of a medial ligament injury in the game, which we took him off with, more as a precaution. I think Angelo will be okay and he will be with us as well.”

Fabio Silva of Anderlecht battles for possession with Angelo Ogbonna of West Ham United during the UEFA Europa Conference League Group B match between West Ham United and RSC Anderlecht at London Stadium (Jacques Feeney/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)

One player guaranteed to not be in the travelling party is right-back Vladimir Coufal, who has missed the last two matches with a heel injury which forced him off during last month’s 4-0 win over Nottingham Forest.

The Czech right-back’s absence means that eight Ben Johnson or Kehrer are likely to start at right-back at the AEK Arena on Thursday night.

“He’s not with us because he’s got plantar fascia in his heel,” Moyes added. “Look, time will help it but he’s not available for the game, no.”

Goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski will also miss the game after recently having an operation on a fractured eye-socket and cheekbone sustained in the win over Forest.

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