Soccer Football - Premier League - West Ham United v Aston Villa - London Stadium, London, Britain - March 13, 2022 West Ham United manager David Moyes Action Images via Reuters/Ed Sykes EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club /league/player publications. Please contact your account representative for further details.
As West Ham United manager David Moyes gears up for a crunch clash with Lyon in the Europa League tonight, it appears he is now been dealt a big blow.
The Lowdown: Hammers hunt for history…
Following their historic last 16 tie with Sevilla, which resulted in West Ham knocking out the competition’s most successful ever side, Moyes’ men now prepare for their quarter-final second leg clash with Lyon.
Their first bout at the London Stadium ended 1-1 after Tanguy Ndombele’s equaliser cancelled out an opening goal courtesy of Jarrod Bowen, finely balancing the second leg in France tonight.
In terms of team news, Moyes has been potentially boosted by the absence of key Lyon stars, with goalkeeper Anthony Lopes and attacker Lucas Paqueta set to miss the crunch clash.
However, in a major blow, the Scotsman will now be without his mainstay defender Kurt Zouma – who joins Angelo Ogbonna on the sidelines.
The Latest: Irons confirm blow…
Indeed, as confirmed by the club, West Ham’s centre-back will miss tonight through injury alongside Ogbonna who’s still recovering from knee surgery.
“West Ham confirm that Kurt Zouma is ruled out for Thursday’s second leg vs Lyon,” relayed Jack Rosser of The Evening Standard.
“He’ll stay in London for further tests on his ankle.”
The Verdict: Major setback…
Without both Ogbonna and Zouma, the Irons may have to turn to a defensive partnership of Issa Diop and Craig Dawson, with Moyes even hinting at the possibility of using Rice in that role.
The former Chelsea star’s absence seems set to cause a major headache for West Ham with the player’s quality also undeniable.
According to WhoScored, no Hammers player has averaged a better rate of clearances per 90 in the Premier League than Zouma this term – backing just how solid and dependable he can be at the back.
French football correspondent Jonathan Johnson for CBS Sports heaped praise on the 27-year-old during his rise to becoming a star defender, branding Zouma a ‘sensational player’ with a ‘bright future’ for France (Twitter).
He was proven right going by his performances in the Premier League over these last few seasons and there is little denying he will be a big miss for West Ham and Moyes.
In other news: Sky Sports: West Ham now eyeing in-demand £21.6 million-rated star for Moyes, he’s set to move…find out more here.
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