- West Ham host Arsenal at the London Stadium
- The Hammers are in the Premier League relegation zone
- Adama Traoré misses out of the matchday squad
West Ham United face a major test in preserving their Premier League status as they host Arsenal at the London Stadium this afternoon.
The Hammers are in the relegation zone in 18th, one point from Tottenham Hotspur, who occupy the final safety position. Nuno Espírito Santo’s side knows that anything other than a result against title-chasing Arsenal firmly hands the initiative to Tottenham with three matches remaining.
The West Ham boss has named a defensive lineup geared toward limiting Arsenal’s space to operate in, but one player will not feature at all and has been left out of the squad.
Adama Traoré misses out on West Ham squad vs Arsenal
Although there has been no confirmation from Nuno regarding Adama Traoré’s absence, it has been reported that the winger suffered quad discomfort in training and is injured ahead of today’s clash. As noted in the X post below from a reputable source, nothing has been officially confirmed, but the indications suggest it is the case.
Traoré played four seasons under Nuno at Wolverhampton Wanderers, and the pair reunited in January following the former’s move from Fulham to East London for a fee of around £2 million plus £1 million in add-ons.
The Spaniard has made 12 appearances for West Ham, assisting once in the Hammers’ FA Cup quarter-final defeat to Leeds United. The former Barcelona man came off the bench and played 16 minutes in West Ham’s last outing against Brentford.
In April, it was revealed that Nuno ordered Traoré not to go to the gym for weightlifting since “he carries enough weight.”
30-year-old Traoré’s West Ham contract runs until the end of the season with the option of a further year. It is unclear whether that optional year is contingent on the club’s bid for survival.
