West Ham United to be without Nayef Aguerd and Kurt Zouma v Arsenal
David Moyes is likely to be without Nayef Aguerd and Kurt Zouma when West Ham take on Arsenal on Boxing Day, according to Claret and Hugh.
The Hammers already have Angelo Ogbonna out long-term through injury but they were hoping to have Aguerd back from the World Cup where he is playing for Morocco.
The African nation have made it all the way to the semi-final but the Irons man suffered an injury in the round of 16 and could now be out for the Premier League return.
There is a small chance he could feature at the London Stadium when the league leaders come to town but it is more likely that he come in against either Brentford or Leeds United.
Zouma, meanwhile, is still having to wait after undergoing washout surgery on his knee and therefore requires six weeks out. He is due back roughly around Wolves on 14 January.
Thin on the ground
Moyes is already on the lookout for a new central defender for exactly this reason and January cannot come soon enough for anybody at the London Stadium.
Thilo Kehrer returned from Qatar unscathed after Germany’s group-stage exit so he can fill in at centre-half rather than playing in his usual right-back position and Craig Dawson is still at the club and fully fit.
It is a problem the Irons have been trying to overcome for the best part of 12 months now and they failed to address it last January before doubling down in the summer.
And yet once again they are in need of a new central defender and there have to be questions aimed at the recruitment team who keep bringing in injury-prone players.
Luckily for West Ham, they won’t have to face Gabriel Jesus with the Brazilian international out for months following surgery but it will still be a very tough test against Mikel Arteta’s side.