David Moyes is very limited on first-team options today with the team almost picking itself through injuries Claret and Hugh have been told.
On Friday David Moyes offered injury updates on long-term absentees Angelo Ogbonna and Arthur Masuaku.
Speaking at his virtual pre-match press conference prior to Sunday’s trip to face Manchester United at Old Trafford, the West Ham United manager discussed both players’ respective roads to recovery.
Ogbonna suffered a high sprain in his left ankle during the first half of last month’s FA Cup tie against the Red Devils. He subsequently spent a period of time in a protective boot to prevent further damage. Meanwhile, Masuaku – who last featured against Manchester United at London Stadium in December before undergoing surgery on a knee injury – has returned to training this week.
“Angelo is doing great,” Moyes confirmed. “He’s back in the gym regularly. He’s out of his boot and we’re expecting him to start some running on the AlterG, which is the machine that takes a bit of your bodyweight off.
“He’s coming along and I’m hoping that, maybe by the end of the international break, we might have him back on the grass in some capacity. There are signs that we’re getting him back.
“Arthur’s trained two or three days this week with the U23s and trained with me for a couple of days now, so Arthur’s getting much closer to match fitness and all-round fitness generally.”
Ahead of the trip to Manchester, Moyes also confirmed that he is monitoring the availability of other senior players within the squad.
He said: “We’ve got a couple of slight doubts behind the scenes on a couple of players, who have just picked up slight injuries which I’m hoping will be okay. I won’t know until tomorrow to see how a couple of them are going.
“That’s just something I’m nursing behind the scenes a little bit. It might be that they’re all okay, it might be that they’re not okay – that’s where it is.”
While Moyes may struggle with options for games against Manchester United and Arsenal he is expected to have an almost fit squad after the International break with the first game against Wolves on 3rd April.
