West Ham United will be looking to continue their push away from the Premier League’s relegation zone when they head to Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday.
The Hammers exited the FA Cup at the fifth round stage on Wednesday night with a 3-1 defeat to Manchester United and head to the Amex Stadium less than 72 hours after their Old Trafford defeat.
Ahead of the meeting with the Seagulls, here is a look at West Ham’s current list of absentees.
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Maxwel Cornet (calf)
Having not played for over five months, winger Maxwel Cornet remains out of action.
Cornet has not featured since making his full Premier League debut for West Ham on October 1 and has missed the last 24 matches in all competitions as a consequence. However, ahead of the defeat to United, Moyes said that the Ivorian was close to a return.
“I’m not quite sure about Cornet yet, I need to just see,” Moyes told football.London . “I’ve been really pleased with the way he’s come back, I’m not quite convinced yet with Cornet if he’s 100 per cent.
“Maybe, maybe, I don’t want to be leading one way or another. Maybe, he’s one of those ones we need to be keeping an eye on it.”
Kurt Zouma (thigh)
Having only returned from a two-month absence due to knee surgery in the win over Everton last month, French centre-back Kurt Zouma is now back on the sidelines.
The former Chelsea defender suffered a small tear in his thigh in the first half of the win over his former side Everton but played the duration of the match in mid-January.
Like Cornet, Zouma is back in training and is closing in on a return.
“Zouma’s [getting] closer,” Moyes told football.london ahead of the trip to Old Trafford. “Zouma is another one we will be looking at as well today and see how they all are.”
Vladimir Coufal (heel)
Right-back Vladimir Coufal missed the trip to United on Wednesday night with a heel injury that forced him off at half-time during last Saturday’s 4-0 win over Forest. Coufal had been nursing the issue going into the game, but the severity of it forced him off.
“Vladimir Coufal has got a heel injury, that will keep him out,” Moyes said ahead of facing United.
Lukasz Fabianski (cheek/eye)
Goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski could be set for a long spell on the sidelines after suffering a fractured cheekbone and eye-socket injury against Forest.
Fabianski was forced off midway through the second half after being caught by the knee of Forest defender Felipe after the Polish stopper innocuously went for the ball.
Speaking on it ahead of facing United, Moyes told football.london “I’m waiting, I couldn’t give you an answer, we’ve had the surgeons report back but I think there’s a decision to make as to whether it’s surgery or natural healing.
“We think that he’s fractured his cheekbone and eye-socket.”
Jarrod Bowen (shin/ankle)
Winger Jarrod Bowen started on the bench for the FA Cup defeat to Manchester United.
Bowen had been suffering with a minor shin/ankle issue, but was deemed fit enough to still be involved, replacing Pablo Fornals with just over 15 minutes remaining.
Speaking on the injury, Moyes told football.london : “He had a bit of a sore shin and into his ankle. It gave me a chance to play Pablo.
“It wasn’t that bad that I couldn’t use him but he had been sitting for the last day or so with ice on his ankle. I’m trying not to make it any worse than it was, I just thought that later on, maybe he might have given us a little bit extra when I bought him on.”
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