WEST Ham are travelling to a Premier League champions Man City tonight.
Though the Hammers are without their captain and talisman, Declan Rice for the clash at The Etihad.
City can go back to the top of the league with a win, although Pep Guardiola is missing a midfield general of his own in Kevin De Bruyne, who is also out with injury.
If City are to pick up all three points, then they will be at the summit with a game in hand over closest challengers Arsenal.
Meanwhile West Ham could go above Wolves into 14th place with a victory.
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Why is Declan Rice not playing for West Ham?
Declan Rice is not playing for West Ham tonight because of illness.
Manager David Moyes has said that a bug swept through the Hammers camp over the past 24 hours.
Moyes said before kick-off: “Three of them took ill overnight.”
Rice joins Tomas Soucek and Nayef Aguerd on the absentee list because of illness.
The sickness bug means the Hammers could only pick five subs on the bench.
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Rice had played every minute of West Ham’s 33 league games this season but was sent back to London this afternoon along with fellow midfielder Soucek and defender Aguerd.
Moyes told Sky Sports: “Unfortunately overnight three players took ill so we had to change it around.
“Hopefully it’s not too bad, the sickness.
“We had named some of the players not here in the side.
“Two or three are unwell and there’s nothing we can do about it.
“It only happened today, we sent them home at 2pm.
“It was too late to bring any of the younger boys up.
“It was always going to be tough, we will try and make it as difficult as we can.
“Anything out of the game will be a bonus.”
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West Ham XI: Fabianski, Coufal, Kehrer, Ogbonna, Cresswell, Emerson; Downes, Paquetá, Fornals, Bowen, Antonio.
West Ham subs: Areola, Anang, Johnson, Lanzini, Cornet, Ings, Benrahma.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
