Issues galore as we head for Sunderland

West Ham will head for Sunderland with a major  injury/suspension crisis on their hands.

Despite many believing this is the game from which they could and perhaps should secure total safety, the absentee list is horrific.

And with James Collins having issued a cry for nobody to hide behind Slav, this game may well become an acute character test for the team which takes the pitch at the Stadium of Light.

Michail Antonio’s departure was a major blow and there is no return date given  from the hamstring injury which saw him leave the action.

Andy Carroll – despite being on the bench as an unused sub -d is still complaining of a sore groin although Diafra Sakho should have recovered sufficiently from the wear and tear plus bumps and bruises of his first outing since November against Arsenal to be involved.

Aaron Cresswell should be okay but given Arthur Masuaku’s level of performance is unlikely to be in the starting X1 whilst Angelo Ogbonna won’t be back until next month the earliest, Winston Reid (groin) is out for another three weeks and Pedro Obiang will return next season.

Add to that mark Noble’s two match suspension and the Irons season of frustration and anxiety looks set to go right down to the wire.