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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport
Malik Ouzia

West Ham to make late call on Kurt Zouma for Liverpool trip

West Ham were today set to make a late decision over whether Kurt Zouma is ready to ease their centre-back crisis ahead of tonight’s trip to Liverpool.

Zouma has missed the Hammers’ last two games because of illness but returned to training this week and David Moyes is hopeful that the Frenchman could be fit to start tonight.

Craig Dawson remains a more significant doubt, having suffered a dead leg during last Thursday’s win over Anderlecht.

Moyes said his side had been “rocked terribly” by the pair’s absences as he was forced to shift to a back-three for Sunday’s 1-1 draw at Southampton.

Meanwhile, Jurgen Klopp will be on the touchline for tonight’s game at Anfield, despite being charged by the FA following his red card during Sunday’s win over Manchester City.

Klopp has until Friday to respond, at which point any punishment will be decided, but Moyes yesterday launched a defence his counterpart, who was dismissed after protesting a foul not given for a challenge on Mo Salah.

"His actions are part of it, we are really het up and if you were in that position you would probably feel the same,” Moyes said.

"For 90 minutes or so it becomes a really emotional game, sometimes you can change your character from what your true character is. But I think if we stood there and did nothing, I think our supporters, the public, [the media], would probably be questioning why not?

“I think if you look at the incident Jurgen got angry about, he was correct, wasn’t he?"

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