West Ham have been dealt a major defensive blow ahead of their trip to Tottenham on Saturday, as El Hadji Malick Diouf has officially been ruled out of the clash.
Diouf Ruled Out of West Ham vs Tottenham
West Ham defender El Hadji Malick Diouf has been ruled out of Saturday’s trip to Tottenham.
The left-back misses out due to his prolonged involvement at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), as he and his Senegal teammates have advanced to Sunday evening’s final in Rabat.
Diouf and co will go head-to-head with tournament hosts Morocco for the title this weekend.
Senegal, captained by former Liverpool winger Sadio Mane, ended Mohamed Salah and Egypt’s dreams of lifting Africa’s most coveted trophy in the semi-finals, prevailing 1-0 on Wednesday.
Mane scored the sole goal in Tangier, netting the winner fairly late on in the 78th minute.
The Lions of Teranga are now looking to lift just their second AFCON title on Sunday. Their first continental success came in 2021, while they also finished as runners-up back in 2019.
Even if Senegal had been beaten by Egypt, it is likely that Diouf would’ve missed the Spurs game anyway. This is as the AFCON third-place playoff takes place in Casablanca on Saturday.
Theoretically, Diouf could’ve opted to skip the fixture and return to his club. However, it seems likelier that the 21-year-old would’ve remained in Morocco to fight for a bronze medal.
His unavailability comes as a major blow for the Hammers, as they sit in 18th place in the table and are among the favourites in the Premier League relegation betting odds market.
Hammers academy graduate Oliver Scarles is expected to start at left-back in his absence.
Diouf could make his return for Sunderland’s visit to the capital on Saturday, 24 January.
Wan-Bissaka To Make League Return for Hammers
Meanwhile, Aaron Wan-Bissaka is set to make his English top-flight return this weekend.
The former Manchester United right-back has been away with the DR Congo at AFCON, but following their elimination in the last 16, he is expected to feature in Saturday’s all-London affair.
Wan-Bissaka played for 90 minutes in the Hammers’ 2-1 win over QPR in the FA Cup on Sunday afternoon, in which January signing Taty Castellanos snatched the victory in extra time.
Elsewhere, Lukasz Fabianski is out with a lower back injury, and Konstantinos Mavropanos is sidelined with a neck issue, while both Mateus Fernandes and Lucas Paqueta are doubtful.
It has been suggested that Paqueta could go on strike by refusing to play against Spurs, with several news reports linking him with an exit. Flamengo are among his potential suitors.
A victory in north London could prove vital for Nuno Espirito Santo.
His long-term future at the London Stadium is in serious doubt with his side now winless in 10 league games, as he sits at the top of the Premier League sack race odds market as favourite.
Defeat against Tottenham on Saturday could bring an end to his torrid Hammers tenure.
Our Tottenham vs West Ham tips, provided by AI, suggest a favourable outcome for Spurs.
Slaven Bilic, who managed the East London club between 2015 and 2017, is currently favoured to replace the Portuguese at the helm, according to the next West Ham manager odds market.
