Moyes and two players test positive but West Ham cup tie goes ahead
West Ham United manager David Moyes and players Issa Diop and Josh Cullen have returned positive tests for Covid-19.
The club’s medical team were informed of the test results as the team were at London Stadium preparing for last night’s Carabao Cup third-round tie against Hull City.
The manager and both players immediately left the stadium and returned home. All three, who are asymptomatic, will now follow Public Health England and Premier League guidelines and protocols.
Last night’ s match went ahead as planned, with assistant manager Alan Irvine, pictured, taking charge of the team as West Ham beat Hull 5-1 to book their place in the fourth round.
West Ham added that their coro - na virus measures remained “stringent”. They said they offered to test the Hull team ahead of the match, but this was turned down.
It is understood West Ham’ s and Hull’ s medical departments agreed the match could go ahead within the protocols and in consultation with the EFL’S medical department, and given the evidence that suggests there is very low risk of transmission during a match outdoors.
However, with the news coming on the same day that nearby Leyton Orient had their game against Tottenham postponed due to a number of positive tests, as well as when Prime Minister Boris Johnson outlined new corona virus restrictions including no prospect of fans returning to matches any time soon, it was not a good look.
Nevertheless, Hull said: “We are satisfied that West Ham followed all guidelines and protocols upon receiving the positive results and, after consulting with the EFL, were comfortable with the game going ahead.
“The club will continue to stringently monitor the wellbeing of our players and staff as per Public Health England and EFL guidelines – as we have done since they were put in place – and we wish the West Ham manager and players the very best.”
According to protocols Moyes, Diop and Cullen will have to isolate for ten days, meaning they will miss Sunday’s match at home to Wolves. Arsenal, against whom West Ham played at the weekend, losing 2-1 at the Emirates Stadium, will continue as planned as all protocols were followed.
Despite the disruption, West Ham looked comfort ab le against their League One opponents. Se bas ti en Haller and Andriy Yarmo - lenko both scored twice and former Scotland international Robert Snodgrass also on target in a comfortable victory.
Snodgrass opened the scoring against his former club when he volleyed in a cross from Y arm olen kobe fore Haller made it 2-0 from Yarmolenko’s lay-off.
Y arm olenkoaddedt he third from the penalty spot after a foul on Haller.
Although M al li kW ilks pulled one back, Haller and Yarmolenko struck again in stoppage time as West Ham earned a fourth-round trip to Everton or Fleetwood.