West Ham facing defensive crisis after centre-back ruled out for season

After suffering another injury setback, David Moyes is going to need to get creative ahead of West Ham’s Europa League semi-final against Eintracht Frankfurt next Thursday.

That’s according to The Guardian, who are reporting that after suffering a ligament injury, centre-back Issa Diop has been ruled out for the remainder of the season.

Diop will join the likes of Angelo Ogbonna and Kurt Zouma on the treatment table, leaving 32-year-old Craig Dawson as the Hammers’ only available senior central defender.

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News that Diop will now miss the rest of the season will come as a bitter blow to Moyes, who is currently in the process of preparing the Londoners for one of their biggest ever games.

Speaking after beating Lyon in the competition’s quarter-final stage, Moyes, as quoted by the Daily Mail, said: “I’m extremely proud of how they performed. We’re thrilled. It’s difficult to put words to it. We don’t get the trophy tonight so I can’t be jumping around here and celebrating. But I’m proud.”

Set to go head-to-head against Eintracht Frankfurt in the semi-finals of the Europa League next week, and in light of the recent news surrounding Diop, Moyes must now work out how best to line his side up.