David Moyes has been handed a fresh defensive crisis to attend to ahead of West Ham’s trip to Stoke City, after Winston Reid was handed a one-match ban.
The New Zealand international had clocked up four yellow cards in the Premier League prior to Wednesday night’s clash with Arsenal at London Stadium. His fifth of the season means he will have to sit out the match at bet365 Stadium.
Moyes will now have some thinking to do as, with Jose Fonte and James Collins also missing, the Scotsman is left with just Angelo Ogbonna and Declan Rice for Saturday’s game.
The pair started together, and performed well, at Manchester City earlier this month, however, with Rice having sat out the last couple of games, and suffered from flu, it leaves the Hammers in dangerous waters having no other alternatives.
In Pictures | West Ham vs Arsenal | 13/12/2017
Under Slaven Bilic, midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate often dropped to the back as part of a three, however, his ability to perform as an out and out centre-half as part of a two is questionable.
