Three of West Ham United's key players were forced to withdraw from the matchday squad just hours before the Hammers' 3-0 Premier League defeat to Manchester City on Wednesday
West Ham United manager David Moyes believes two of his players missed the defeat to Manchester City on Wednesday night due to potential food poisoning, and another, due to a virus.
The Hammers were left with three late squad withdrawals hours before their 3-0 loss to the Premier League leaders City at the Etihad Stadium, with captain Declan Rice, centre-back Nayef Aguerd and midfielder Tomas Soucek all leaving the squad hours before kick-off due to illness.
It left West Ham with just 18 players in their matchday squad as second-half goals from Nathan Ake, Erling Haaland and Phil Foden sealed the victory, three of which were goalkeepers.
Speaking on the trio’s absence, Moyes said that one of the three is struggling with a virus, while two more may have food poisoning, adding that one member of staff was also absent.
“I knew in the morning that there had been sickness and one of them had a real high temperature.,” said Moyes. “One of them had to go away at 11 o’clock and the other two at left at two o’clock today, once they weren’t going to get any better.
“We had given them a chance in the morning to recover, sleep longer, see how they were. They were in Manchester with the rest of the team so we had to send them away in cars later this afternoon to go home.
“There was another staff member who had sickness as well so that’s why we were worried if it was a bug or food poisoning, we weren’t sure what it was.”
The triple blow comes with a meeting against Manchester United next on the schedule at the London Stadium on Sunday night.
Moyes had said that he hopes the trio are back in contention, but cannot confirm if they will be.
“I have got to hope that they are, two of them we are not sure if it is maybe a bit of food poisoning that they have maybe picked up at the training ground or whether it was at the hotel and one them we think has got a virus,” added Moyes.
“I’m not a doctor, I don’t know if antibiotics can fix it that quickly or how you work it, I’m not quite sure.
“Hopefully, they will have a chance for the weekend. Hopefully, they will have a chance for the weekend.”
Belatsch
0
Just they want make city champion
seseimpy
0
This sum up how Manchester are canning this league, there was an allegedly of them to be deducted some points from them but the brid and now they poison opponent's potential players.
Habcilprsy
1
W Ham have has to play Man U, Brentford , Leeds, Leicester plus two games against Alkamar of Holland for the conference European cup. I would definitely rest may beast players against ManC. Who thrashed Arsenal 4-1 and concentrate on winning Leicester and Leeds to avoid relegation
cusbceilms
2
I don’t know why these Arsenal fans talking about who don’t play for west-ham like if they who don’t play were to play they would win Arsenal play man city why they didn’t win now you are depending on other teams to beat them for you to win the title kmt
Miockmnt
1
city poison the rice 🍚
mishaelmaik
0
if arsenal fans are complaining that Rice didn't play, then they should've thank KDB didn't play also... period, it's a fair and square thing.
NgeaWilson
1
premier league over hype Rice 🍚