West Ham United squad ravaged by sickness bug v Fulham, Pablo Fornals started with it - David Ornstein

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Published on:

11 Dec 2023, 3:40 am

David Moyes was among those struck down as West Ham were hit with a sickness bug ahead of their heavy loss at Fulham, according to David Ornstein.

The Irons were on the end of a 5-0 thrashing at Craven Cottage on Sunday (10 December) - their heaviest Premier League away defeat in 12 years.

Emerson and Edson Alvarez dropped out of the starting line-up due to illness, while it has now been revealed Pablo Fornals and Moyes were also struggling.

🚨 West Ham build-up to Fulham loss disrupted by sickness bug that swept through camp after Thurs win at #THFC. Number of players/staff impacted - Emerson + Alvarez already known but Fornals too, while Moyes & others also felt unwell @TheAthleticFC #WHUFC https://t.co/ItMNuCUb9V
— David Ornstein (@David_Ornstein) December 10, 2023

In an article for The Athletic on Sunday (10 December), Ornstein said: "Several players and staff members were hit with an illness that swept through the camp.

"Pablo Fornals, who started the game, was one of those most affected by the sickness bug.

"Manager David Moyes was also left feeling unwell, along with other members of the first-team squad. This included Edson Alvarez and Emerson Palmieri, who were both missing from the starting line-up."

Worrying

Not to make any excuses on the players' behalf, but it was clear something was not right against Fulham.

The Irons had been in great form, most recently defeating Tottenham 2-1, with this showing against the Cottagers very much an outlier.

Being without Alvarez in particular was a huge blow as it forced Moyes to reshuffle his midfield, including a return for Fornals out wide.

While one-off defeats of this magnitude happen, the loss could have big ramifications for United as Moyes' future has been questioned again.

The big question now is whether this sickness bug will clear in time for Thursday's (14 December) Europa League tie with Freiburg.

United cannot afford to let their season derail now, with an EFL Cup quarter-final against Liverpool also on the horizon.

Let's hope that these next few days can act as a reset of sorts because the games continue to come thick and fast throughout December.

In other West Ham news, the Irons could potentially bring in a new manager prior to their EFL Cup tie at Anfield.

West Ham United

David Moyes

David Ornstein