West Ham Hopeful Over Key Defender

West Ham defender Angelo Ogbonna was forced off the pitch in their Premier League match against Fulham due to an injury.

Angelo Ogbonna has been one of West Ham best players this season. The Italian has arguably been the best defender, and his solidity has been key in the Hammers positive start to the season.

In the Hammers last gasp 1-0 victory over Fulham, Ogbonna was forced off after overstretching on a particular challenge. It is most likely that the challenge the 33-year-old overstretched on was his high tackle on Tom Cairney. This challenge was only moments after an altercation with Aleksandar Mitrovic.

David Moyes confirmed after the game that the Italian international strained his groin. The Scottish manager was forced to put Issa Diop on the pitch in place of Ogbonna. The Frenchman is a good enough defender but had not played since the Hammers defeat to Arsenal.

"“Because it was a challenge in the box where I don’t think the player should have made the challenge on the goalkeeper and it has opened his groin up a bit so we’ll get him scanned and see what the outcome is.”David Moyes on Ogbonnna’s injury."

It has been reported that Ogbonna could be fit for West Ham’s next game against Sheffield United. Fortunately for the Hammers, there is an international break between now and the game against the Blades. Ogbonna was scheduled to be away with the Italian national side, but will now remain in England.

There is a scan booked for Ogbonna today that should reveal the full extent of the injury he has suffered. The club’s staff, including manager David Moyes, will be hoping that the injury is not serious. Should the results be worse than expected, it would cause Moyes to change his team’s line-up.

The Hammers had been in good form, only losing one of their last six games in the Premier League. The switch to a new defensive formation has been a big reason for the team’s new-found resilience that has made them so hard to beat.

Moyes would likely swap Diop and Ogbonna in the starting line-up, which would present a spot on the bench for new signing Craig Dawson. The Englishman is yet to make the matchday squad since joining the club on loan from Watford.

Ogbonna would be a big miss for the club should his scan come back with negative results. But the Hammers do have options which should allow them to cope during the Veteran’s absence.