ExWHUemployee: Declan Rice set to return in West Ham v Brighton clash on May 15
West Ham midfielder Declan Rice could be back fit for the trip to Brighton on May 15, according to club insider ExWHUemployee.
Rice, 22, has missed the last five games after picking up a knee injury while on international duty with England.
The Irons have coped admirably in his absence, winning three out of five, but he was sorely missed in the defeats against Newcastle United and Chelsea, while David Moyes has had to shake up his formation and tactics to cope with his loss from the side.
West Ham host Everton at the London Stadium on Sunday evening knowing they could draw level on points with fourth-placed Chelsea who play Manchester City on Saturday, and the inclusion of Rice in the squad would be a big boost to their Champions League hopes.
But writing on his personal Twitter profile ExWHUemployee claims the game will probably come too soon, but issued a positive update on his potential return.
He said, “Unlikely, more likely the Brighton game.”
One last push
Rice has been a monumental loss to our midfield and without him we lack an element of control.
Mark Noble just can’t offer anywhere near the same energy or intensity while Tomas Soucek and Manuel Lanzini were deployed as the more defensive midfielders against Burnley on Monday.
They both impressed but Everton represents a step up or two in quality, despite their recent struggles that have seen them win just once in their last eight games.
But we feared the worst when Rice’s injury was first reported, so to hear he’s not far away from a first-team return is extremely encouraging.
We would rather make sure he is 100% fit before he returns rather than risk him against Carlo Ancelotti’s side on Sunday.
If we can get past the Merseyside outfit this weekend then the race is really on for that last Champions League spot, and with Rice back in the team we would be confident of securing it.
In other West Ham news, European giants enter £30m race for Irons target Gary Lineker called ‘Exceptional’.
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