West Ham given Thilo Kehrer injury update

West Ham United are worried that defender Thilo Kehrer could miss the Premier League game against Chelsea this weekend, according to club insiders Claret & Hugh.

The Lowdown: Light in defence

West Ham sold Craig Dawson to Wolverhampton Wanderers for £3.3m in the January transfer window, while Kurt Zouma has missed a lot of games recently due to injuries to his hamstring and knee.

As such, David Moyes is a little light on options at centre-back, with 34-year-old defender Angelo Ogbonna getting the nod in recent weeks, starting four of the last five Premier League games, having only previously made two league appearances this season.

The Latest: Kehrer injured?

Given that the Hammers only have limited numbers at the back, the last thing they would have wanted is another injury, but Claret & Hugh now claim that Kehrer may have become the latest player to be sidelined.

The club insiders state that the defender was brought off against Newcastle United due to a hamstring problem, and a top source has told them that he could miss the game against Chelsea on Saturday.

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The Verdict: Blow for Moyes

The 6 foot 1 ace has not totally hit the ground running as a West Ham player since arriving for an initial £10.1m in the summer transfer window, being criticised by journalist Roshane Thomas for his performance against Leeds United at the start of last month.

That said, if the German is not able to play against the Blues at the weekend, his absence will still felt by Moyes, as the manager is left with very few players to replace him in the starting XI.

Ben Johnson would be the likely option, given that he replaced Kehrer as a substitute when the injury was first sustained, however he would be playing in a makeshift role, as he has predominantly featured as a full-back throughout his career.

As such, Moyes will have to decide whether to rejig the formation, or start Johnson in an un-favoured position ahead of Saturday’s London derby, should Kehrer not be back in time to participate.