WEST HAM HIT BY COVID
But Hull match goes ahead!
THE Carabao Cup descended into chaos last night after David Moyes and two West Ham players tested positive for Covid-19 little more than an hour before their third-round clash with Hull — yet the game was still allowed to go ahead. West Ham won 5-1 but the night was dominated by the decision to give the game the green light despite the risk that the virus could pass from Moyes, Issa Diop and Josh Cullen to players
and staff at both teams. The trio were at the London Stadium and within the match ‘bubble’ when they learnt of their positive tests at 6.15pm, before leaving the ground immediately. Diop and Cullen had been named in the initial West Ham starting XI when the team sheets dropped at 6.30pm, ahead of an update at 6.47pm that they had been replaced by Harrison Ashby and Jack Wilshere. The EFL confirmed last night to Sportsmail that the decision to let the game go ahead was made by the two clubs’ medical departments, in consultation with two off-site EFL doctors, and that all protocols had been followed. They also pointed to evidence that the risk of transmission between players outdoors is low. An EFL statement read: ‘The League was made aware of a number of positive test results at West Ham shortly before tonight’s Carabao Cup tie against Hull City. ‘Those individuals affected are following the relevant Premier League and Public Health England advice and guidance and we wish them a speedy recovery.’ A West Ham statement said Moyes, Diop and Cullen were ‘asymptomatic’ — it is understood their tests were done on Monday — but there will now be doubts over the Hammers’ Premier League clash with Wolves on Sunday. Hull face Northampton in League One on Saturday. The trio of positives came four months after concerns were raised about the return of football after lockdown by Hull midfielder Josh Magennis, who is asthmatic. He was in the Hull side last night. The match was won convincingly by West Ham, who were led by assistant manager Alan Irvine in Moyes’s absence. Robert Snodgrass, playing for the second time since February after injury, opened the scoring on 18 minutes before Sebastien Haller made it 2-0 at the end of the first half. Andriy Yarmolenko, part of a £100million attack in a side featuring 11 changes from the one beaten 2-1 by Arsenal on Saturday evening, scored the third. Hull pulled a goal back through Mallik Wilks 20 minutes from time. Haller got his second in stoppage time for 4-1 and Yarmolenko scored a fifth. West Ham will play Fleetwood or Everton in the fourth round. A Hull statement read: ‘We are satisfied that West Ham followed all 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.’