Moyes hopes to avoid West Ham ‘bluff’ as big Declan Rice hint offered
West Ham manager David Moyes says that he is hopeful of including Declan Rice in his team for Sunday’s match against Everton.
Rice has missed the Hammers’ last five Premier League matches with a knee injury. As a consequence, the club’s form has slipped, with two defeats emerging since his absence began. What’s more, West Ham have conceded nine goals in their time without their star England international.
However, Rice is edging ever closer to a return to action and will definitely get to contribute before the campaign ends.
Nevertheless, Moyes insisted in his latest press conference that he must be careful with reintroducing the midfielder back into the fold.
“We’re getting closer because we’re another week down the line and we’re hoping that we can have him available,” the manager said (via Football London).
“He’s back on the grass and we’re closing in on it. Undoubtedly he’s a big miss to us and we’ll try and get him back as quickly as we can,
“I’m just hoping to have him available, I’m not going put any time on it. I’m not trying to bluff anybody but in the same breath, I’ve got to be really wary of it. He is so important for us, we have to get him back as quickly as we can.
“We need him, he can make the difference in the games and there’s a big game coming up this weekend for a starter.”
West Ham currently sit in fifth in the Premier League table, three points behind fourth-placed Chelsea with four games to go.
But despite no game ever being easy in the Premier League, Everton have proved better on the road this season and could still clinch a Europa League spot.
Moyes sees big West Ham test
“I don’t see any easy games in the Premier League, you only need to look at how the games go they are so hard to call,” he said.
“We are in a confident mood and feel as if we are playing well so I think we will go into the games knowing that if we have any chance of being in the top four then we probably need to win all four so that has to be the mindset I am in and we are going to do that,” he said.
“If we fall short of that then we will fall into the Europa League and that will be great as well, I hope we don’t fall any shorter than that but if we do then we can still talk about having had a good season.”
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