West Ham United are back in action on Thursday night when they head to Denmark in the Europa Conference League.
After winning their opening group game 3-1 against Romanian outfit FCSB four days ago, next up in Group B for David Moyes’ side is a meeting with Silkeborg, who lost 1-0 on Matchday 1 away at Belgian side Anderlecht.
For the win over FCSB, West Ham missed four players through injury, while winger Maxwel Cornet was also forced off in the second half due to injury. Ahead of the trip to Denmark, here is a round up of Moyes’ side’s current injury issues.
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Tomas Soucek (foot)
Tomas Soucek has scored in both the Premier League and Europa Conference League this season, a feat only he and Michail Antonio have so far managed. However, the Czech Republic international midfielder missed the win against FCSB through injury.
The 27-year-old, who has scored 21 goals in 113 games for the club, missed the FCSB win with what is a foot issue sustained in the defeat to Chelsea nine days ago. However, it is unclear when he will return, although it will be hoped that his lay-off is only a short-term one.
Nayef Aguerd (ankle)
Centre-back and £30million summer signing Nayef Aguerd is yet to make his senior debut for the Hammers after suffering a major ankle injury during only his second pre-season appearance in the defeat to Rangers back in July.
That injury required ankle surgery and last month Moyes said that he was expecting to be without the Moroccan international for around “ten weeks” which at the time, would have taken his expected return date to mid-October.
Ahead of the FCSB game, Moyes said that Aguerd will be around about six weeks away from returning, taking him to around that sort of expected return date.
Maxwel Cornet (unknown)
Winger Cornet played a big role in the comeback against FCSB, winning a second half penalty at 1-0 down after being fouled by goalkeeper Stefan Tarnovanu when heading a cross. Jarrod Bowen stepped up and converted from 12 yards but before he could, Cornet was forced off after a nasty collision with the FCSB goalkeeper.
Cornet had started to find form, having made a big impact off the bench in the defeat to Chelsea just days before getting injured.
Aaron Cresswell (groin)
Left-back and vice-captain Aaron Cresswell has missed both of the last two games against Chelsea and FCSB, having picked up a groin issue in the win over FCSB last month.
Cresswell has not featured in the squad, with summer signing Emerson replacing him in the side. The Brazil-born Italian international even scored his first goal for the club in the win over FCSB. It is unclear when Cresswell will be back in contention for Moyes’ side, but the Scottish boss will by boosted by Emerson’s first goal in Claret and Blue.
Ben Johnson (hamstring)
Ben Johnson was forced off in the first half of the win over Villa last month and has missed the three games since through injury.
Ahead of the win over FCSB, Johnson had been yet to return to training, with his and Cresswell’s injury leaving Moyes short on numbers at full-back.
Johnson had been a regular in the opening weeks of the season and had to play the first few games of the campaign as a makeshift centre-back due to shortages in defence.
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