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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport
Dan Kilpatrick

Kurt Zouma: ‘Difficult’ for West Ham star to feature in key Lyon Europa League clash after ankle injury

Kurt Zouma is facing a race to be fit for West Ham's Europa League game at Lyon on Thursday, with the defender's chances of playing rated as "difficult".

Zouma was forced off with a twisted ankle during West Ham's 2-0 defeat to Brentford on Sunday, leaving him a doubt for the crucial Europa League quarter-final second leg in the south of France.

The centre-half had a scan yesterday and, while West Ham are remaining tight-lipped on his condition, sources close to the player have said it will be "difficult" for him to feature in his homeland.

The Hammers will definitely be without the suspended Aaron Cresswell against Lyon following his controversial red card at the London Stadium last Thursday, while centre-half Angelo Ogbonna remains sidelined as he works his way back from an ACL injury.

If Zouma is unavailable, Issa Diop is expected to start in central defence alongside Craig Dawson, while Ben Johnson is set to deputise on the left.

Setback: Kurt Zouma suffered an ankle injury during West Ham’s defeat by Brentford on Sunday (Getty Images)

West Ham manager David Moyes has been boosted by right-back Vladimir Coufal coming through unscathed on Sunday in his first start since hernia surgery.

The tie is finely poised at 1-1 after Tottenham loanee Tanguy Ndombele cancelled out Jarrod Bowen's goal in last week's first leg at the London Stadium.

Lyon have their own injury concerns after goalkeeper Anthony Lopes and midfielders Tanguy Ndombele and Houssem Aouar limped off in their 1-1 draw with Strasbourg in Ligue 1 on Sunday.

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