Hammers No 2: ‘Defender “very close” to return’

Angelo Ogbonna’s appearance on the training pitch at Rush Green yesterday was brilliant news for Hammers fans.

And it got even better after an optimistic forecast from David Moyes’ Number Two Alan Irvine that the central defender was very close to a first team return.

He has been out since February 9 when being injured in the fifth round FA Cup match at Old Trafford following 24 previous appearances over the first part of the season.

He had been a front runner even for Hammer of the Year along with Declan and Tomas given his outstanding form.

It’s doubtful he will make the Leicester City game starting line up on Sunday but the managerial team keep these things very much to themselves with Arthur Masuaku surprising many of us when starting on Monday evening for example.

So we rule nothing out entirely but whether it’s this week or next it will be great to see him resuming his partnership with Craig Dawson at the back (presumably!).

“Yes (it’s fantastic to see Ogbonna training), he’s getting very close and it’ll be great to get him back again,” Irvine told West Ham YouTube’s channel.

“And he will have a part to play between now and the end of the season.”