Daily WHUFC News - 31st December 2016

Preview - Leicester City
WHUFC.com

When and where?

Leicester City v West Ham United
Premier League
Saturday 31 December 2016, 3pm GMT

King Power Stadium

What's the story?

West Ham United bring 2016 to a close with a trip to the 2015/16 Premier League champions Leicester City.

2016 is a year which created plenty of memories for both teams – the Foxes' title-winning triumph was truly remarkable, while West Ham brought the Boleyn Ground era to a close by registering their highest ever Premier League points total.

Neither team has hit those same heights so far this term, although the Hammers have returned to form with ten points from their last five games; a tally which has lifted them up above Leicester and to eleventh in the table.

That run has included three straight wins, against Burnley, Hull City and Swansea City, as the Hammers ran riot in South Wales on Boxing Day, with goals from Andre Ayew, Winston Reid, Michail Antonio and Andy Carroll firing them to a 4-1 victory.

Leicester were unable to give their fans a Christmas present, as Kevin Mirallas and Romelu Lukaku struck to give Everton a 2-0 win at King Power Stadium.

The defeat leaves them in 16th with 17 points from 18 games to date. They have, however, enjoyed better fortunes in the UEFA Champions League, topping Group G to set up a last 16 tie against Sevilla.

Team news

The Hammers are expected to welcome Manuel Lanzini back into their matchday squad after the Argentine midfielder returned to training this week.

He has been joined in training by Reece Oxford, Simone Zaza and Sam Byram after the trio recovered from their various injuries, but Diafra Sakho, James Collins, Arthur Masuaku, Alvaro Arbeloa and Gokhan Tore remain sidelined.

For Leicester, England striker Jamie Vardy is suspended after being sent off against Stoke City, but Robert Huth and Christian Fuchs return from bans.

PFA Player of the Year Riyad Mahrez is set to return to the starting line-up after being dropped to the bench against Everton.

Player Head-to-Head

Riyad Mahrez Michail Antonio head-to-head

Any links between the two?

Neither squad has a player who has turned out for the other side, although Sofiane Feghouli is an Algeria teammate of Leicester's Riyad Mahrez and Islam Slimani.

Last term the Foxes ran out 2-1 winners at the Boleyn Ground, while West Ham secured a 2-2 draw in the return fixtures, as Aaron Cresswell and Andy Carroll found the net.

How do I get to the game?

Click here for directions to the King Power Stadium.

Up-to-the-minute news on the trains can be found here. If you're travelling by road, you can find traffic news here.

Where can I watch the game?

The match is not being broadcast live in the UK. However, you can follow the action as it happens on the whufc.com Match Centre. There you can find live audio commentary, social media updates, in-running stats, photos and more. Get involved in the conversation on social using #LEIWHU

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Urgent appeal for Hammers fan
WHUFC.com

Hammers fan Chris Tester was shot during a robbery at his parents' restaurant in Antigua
Friends and family have launched an appeal to bring him home to the UK for treatment
West Ham United supporters have helped raise more than £90,000 so far

Kind-hearted well-wishers have come to the aid of a critically-ill West Ham United fan who was shot in the head in Antigua on Christmas Day. Lifelong Hammer Christopher Tester was seriously injured when he was attacked by a masked gunman in a Christmas Day robbery at his parents' restaurant, The Boxer Shack, on the Caribbean island. The 37-year-old, from Torquay in Devon, was placed in an induced coma in hospital before being moved to the island of Guadeloupe to be assessed by doctors there. Friends and family launched an appeal to raise the funds needed to bring Christoper back to the UK by air ambulance for urgent treatment. Friend Charlotte Williams, who set up the appeal, wrote: "Dear friends. Tony and Gill Tester from Boxer Shack were held up at gunpoint last night. During the attack, their son Chris was shot in the head and critically injured. "We need to arrange immediate evacuation by air ambulance to the UK and need your help to fund this. Please, please give anything you can, any amount will help."

Chris has now arrived at the hospital in Guadeloupe and is being assessed by doctors there. Thank you all so much for getting us to this stage, without you, none of this would have been possible. "We are hoping that Chris will be well enough to leave for the UK in the next few days." Their initial target of £90,000 was quickly reached, and the family are now appealing for help in ensuring Christopher can receive the specialist treatment he needs when back in the UK.

To make a donation to the Chris Tester Urgent Appeal now, please click here : http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/chris-tester-urgent-appeal

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Bilic - Leicester are still a force
WHUFC.com

Slaven Bilic has no doubts that Leicester will get their season back on track and is expecting another tough encounter at the King Power Stadium on Saturday.

After defying all the odds to win the Premier League last season, the Midlands club have failed to reach the same standards this season and are languishing just outside the bottom three.

But despite their position in the table, the Hammers manager has no question that Claudio Ranieri's side have the quality in the team to turn their season around and will be looking to end 2016 on a high note.

Bilic said: "Leicester were a miracle last season. It was a big achievement and one of the biggest in football history.

"It was very difficult for the manager to maintain that level of keeping everything positive.

"The Champions League did not help them although they have done tremendously well in the competition.

"In the Premier League they are in a position where no-one is happy but there is a long way to go.

"They have the quality and the resources, they should be alright. But there is no free lunch. Considering where Leicester were four seasons ago it's quite a normal situation for them."

BilicThe Hammers head into the game full of confidence following their impressive Boxing Day victory over Swansea at the Liberty Stadium.

After making it three consecutive wins, Bilic is now hoping to see his side record another positive result and help them move into the top half of the table.

Bilic added: "I want to build on the performance, especially the recent one against Swansea, that was really good and not to lose confidence.

"We've had 10 points from four games and we know it will be extremely hard against Leicester. We are in good form and we are very positive. We have to do everything we can continue this.

"The confidence is back and fitness is back and you don't want it to stop. But you know it won't last for ever. You never know in the Premier League, you know you are facing good teams but you have to continue to play like this."

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Five Talking Points – Leicester City
WHUFC.com


The major points for discussion ahead of the New Year's Eve trip to King Power Stadium...


History repeating?

Turn the clock back a little under three years to 29 January 2014 and West Ham United sat 18th in the table.

A hard-earned draw at one of the Premier League's top clubs – Chelsea, whose manager Jose Mourinho accused the Hammers of playing '19th-century football' afterwards – sparked a run of victories that carried West Ham up the standings.

Wins over Swansea City, Aston Villa, Norwich City, all by a 2-0 scoreline, and a 3-1 success against Southampton had Sam Allardyce's tenth by 22 February.

Fast forward to 11 December 2016 and West Ham United sat 18th in the table.

A hard-earned draw at one of the Premier League's top clubs – in this case, Liverpool – sparked a run of victories that carried West Ham up the standings.

Wins over Burnley, Hull City and Swansea have the Hammers up to eleventh, and a win at Leicester City on New Year's Eve could place them tenth come the first day of 2017!


Foxhunter

Andy Carroll enjoyed another productive day against Swansea City on Boxing Day, scoring for the fifth time in six appearances against the Welsh side.

On New Year's Eve, he faces another of his 'favourite' opponents, statistically at least.

The No9 has scored on each of his two Premier League appearances against the Leicester City – a 2-1 win at the Boleyn Ground in December 2014 and 2-2 draw at King Power Stadium in April 2016.

Fit and in form, Carroll will be seeking to complete another hat-trick of sorts when he steps out against the Foxes and their formidable centre-half pairing of Robert Huth and Wes Morgan on Saturday.

Leicester City
Champions dethtroned

Last May, Chelsea set an unwanted record. This May, Leicester City look set to break it.

The Blues ended the 2015/16 season tenth in the Premier League table, the lowest-ever finishing position for a club defending the title.

The Foxes are 18 games into their own defence and sit 16th in the table, just three points above the relegation zone.

Ayew or Lanzini?

Andre Ayew netted his first West Ham United goal and produced arguably his best performance in Claret and Blue against his former club on Boxing Day.

Now, however, Argentinean Manuel Lanzini is fit again after recovering from an abdominal injury.

When he has been available, Lanzini has been a regular starter for Slaven Bilic, so the manager has a selection decision to make for the New Year's Eve trip to Leicester City.

With Ayew soon to depart for the Africa Cup of Nations and Monday's Premier League home game with Manchester United to bear in mind, the Ghanaian may keep his place at the King Power Stadium. Alternatively, Bilic could opt to recall his diminutive No10.

No Vardy, no party?

Leicester City will be without their suspended England striker Jamie Vardy on Saturday, as the No9 is serving the second match of a three-game ban.

Without Vardy for the first time this Premier League season on Boxing Day, the Foxes were beaten 2-0 at home by Everton.

The 29-year-old's pace, commitment and goalscoring played a huge role in Leicester's title win last season, stretching opposing defences on a weekly basis, and his absence robs Claudio Ranieri's side of that dimension to their play.

Algeria international Islam Slimani and Japan forward Shinji Okazaki are more physical, less mobile forwards, and one of them is set to lead the Leicester line, with wingers Riyad Mahrez and Marc Albrighton supplying the deliveries from wide areas.

Ranieri has one other option who has attributes more similar to Vardy's in Nigerian Ahmed Musa.

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From the Boardroom - David Gold
WHUFC.com

I want to start by wishing a happy and healthy New Year to all of our supporters and hope we can secure another big victory against Leicester on Saturday.

2016 has been a memorable year for everyone connected with West Ham United and it was fitting that we were able to celebrate such a big 12 months, 50 years on from when Bobby Moore lifted the World Cup for England.

It was sad for us to leave the Boleyn Ground where the memories will never be forgotten, but we left with a famous victory over Manchester United in the final ever game and then had a memorable closing ceremony.

We have now moved onto a new adventure and the majority of our fans see it as a once in a lifetime opportunity.

The Stadium is renowned throughout the world and we hope to become the biggest supported club in London.

I remember all my life when we were always the fourth club in the capital, but we have taken steps to change that and challenge our three biggest rivals in London.

We are just outside the top half of the table and the confidence is flooding back into the squad. We can now challenge once again.

To go on an unbeaten run in the Premier League and win three consecutive games changes everything - the mood around the camp, the league position and the fans are a lot more optimistic.

Key players returning from injury have also helped us and it is no coincidence that the return of Andy Carroll over the last four games has contributed to this impressive run of form.

We all know what Andy brings to the team and I was so pleased to see him get on the scoresheet. He is looking back to his best and we hope he will score even more goals in the coming weeks and months.

2016 has been a memorable year for everyone connected with West Ham United and it was fitting that we were able to celebrate such a big 12 months, 50 years on from when Bobby Moore lifted the World Cup for England

I was also delighted to see Andre Ayew score his first goal for the Club. It takes time to build up your match fitness and you can see that he is getting stronger all the time and the quality he has.

We have to remember that Andre is the Club's record signing and he is a very good player with Premier League experience.

It is a big blow for us to be losing him now to the Africa Cup of Nations but we knew the situation when we signed him. We also lose Cheikhou Kouyate and Sofiane Feghouli and we are going to miss them, but a lot of clubs will face the same situation.

All three players still have a part to play before they leave when we play Leicester City and Manchester United and we hope to continue this winning run.

There was never any question of the players' commitment in wanting to turn our season around and you could see from Winston Reid's goal against Swansea the passion and desire that our players have at the moment.

Winston was determined to win the ball more than the two defenders around him and I endorse what Alan Shearer said about him on Match of the Day. It shows what it means to the players.

We are beginning to look up now and there is no reason why we cannot get another positive result against Leicester on Saturday.

It was a remarkable story seeing them win the title last season and it was a fairytale outcome.

They certainly didn't buy the league and they won it because of their sheer determination and everything came right for them. It is why the Premier League is the best in the world.

We are coming up against a different type of Leicester team this season as they are fighting to move clear of the bottom three and it will be another tough game.

But our confidence is sky high and we are benefitting from a resurgence around the whole football club. It has been an amazing transformation.

I want to wish all our fans who are making the trip to the King Power Stadium a safe journey and let's hope we can end 2016 with another positive result and keep our unbeaten run going as we head into the New Year.

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Ayew praises 'top striker' Carroll
WHUFC.com

Andre Ayew is enjoying working alongside an in-form Andy Carroll
Both forwards scored in the 4-1 Boxing Day win at Swansea City
Hammers seeking fourth Premier League win in a row when they visit King Power Stadium

Andre Ayew is looking to build on his partnership with 'top striker' Andy Carroll when West Ham United take on Leicester City on New Year's Eve. The pair each scored in the Hammers' 4-1 Boxing Day win at Swansea City – Ayew his first goal for the Club – and look set to work together again as they go for four straight Premier League wins at King Power Stadium. The duo are making up for lost time after both were ruled out of the early months of the season by injury, but the signs are that Ayew and Carroll could cause top-flight defences plenty of problems in the future.

"To be honest, Andy is a top striker," Ayew confirmed. "He's been here at the Club for a while and the guys know how to use him and play with him. For me, it's new and I'm learning but it's great because his quality is there and he helps the whole squad. Hopefully he can continue playing the way he is playing and scoring the goals he is scoring. "Our recent wins have brought a lot of confidence. We beat Burnley and Hull in a difficult way, then we beat Swansea by putting the ball on the ground, playing football and scoring four goals. We proved that we can play with different styles and win in different ways. "We are growing as a team and growing in confidence and we can win more games. Right now the confidence is high and hopefully it will stay high."

So, what of Saturday's game at the Premier League champions, who sit 16th in the table after a challenging defence of their title.

"It's a very difficult game," observed Ayew, who could come up against Ghana teammate Daniel Amartey. "Leicester have a very good squad that is doing well in the Champions League and we know what they did last season in the Premier League. They have quality players and kept the majority of their squad, so we just need to go there with a lot of confidence and belief and try to do something up there. "It's going to be tough for us, particularly in front of their fans, but we need to dig in to try and get something."

After facing Leicester and Manchester United at London Stadium on Monday, the No20 will jet out to the Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon to represent Ghana. There, Avram Grant's squad will face Uganda, Mali and Egypt in the group stage. Should the Black Stars go all the way to the final, Ayew will return to east London in early February.

For the West Ham man, leaving for international duty provokes mixed emotions. "The Africa Cup of Nations is coming and it has been part of my dreams been since I was a kid," the 27-year-old said. "We have been very close to winning it and hopefully one day we are going to bring this trophy home "It would have been good to stay at the Club, but wearing my national colours is something I dreamt of when I was young and I am always proud and I will do everything I can for my nation. "It's difficult to leave the Club, too, but we have great players and hopefully West Ham will keep winning games and I'll come back and keep on working towards finishing as high as we can."

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Leicester City v West Ham United
SAT, 31 DEC 2016PREMIER LEAGUE
15:00
Venue: King Power Stadium
BBC.co.uk

TEAM NEWS

Robert Huth and Christian Fuchs are available for Leicester after serving their one-match bans.

Jamie Vardy is still suspended but Riyad Mahrez is set to return after being left out of the team for the Boxing Day defeat by Everton.

West Ham midfielder Pedro Obiang is back in the squad after serving a suspension.

Defender James Collins could be involved after missing several games with a muscular injury.

MOTD COMMENTATOR'S NOTES

Simon Brotherton: "Leicester's summer of celebration has been followed by the mother of all hangovers that stubbornly refuses to clear and leaves them sitting just three points above the relegation zone as the year draws to a close.

"Claudio Ranieri's team have shown glimpses of their quality recently against Manchester City and Stoke, but are in real danger of being dragged into a full-blown relegation battle.

"West Ham's man of the match when I saw them against Hull a couple of weeks ago was the post (as voted by fans on the club's Twitter account), but they won that day and have found the sort of form recently that Leicester currently crave.

"A win here would be their fourth in a row and add to the champions' collective headache."

Twitter: @SimonBrotherton

WHAT THE MANAGERS SAY

Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri: "I forgot 2016 already. My mind is on 31 December against West Ham.

"That is my life and I hope my players follow me in this way. Everything is in the past, it is the future that is important now.

West Ham manager Slaven Bilic: "We are the club that is linked with the most players in Europe! Every player that is available, it is always West Ham.

"You have the agents calling. Of course, you are bombed with names and everything. When you talk to them, everybody is like (Lionel) Messi or whatever.

"They are also very cheap, dying to come, and they have a little West Ham tattoo. Not now... but since the school days and all that.

"It's that time of the year."

LAWRO'S PREDICTION

I like the look of West Ham now they have some of their injured players back and, whichever Leicester team turns up, I think the Hammers will get something out of this game.

Prediction: 1-1

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

Leicester are unbeaten in the last four league and cup meetings, their best run against West Ham since 1977.
The Foxes needed a controversial stoppage-time penalty, scored by Leonardo Ulloa, to rescue a point in the corresponding fixture in April.
West Ham's only Premier League victory at Leicester in the last seven attempts was by a 3-1 scoreline in January 2000 (D3, L3).
Leicester City

Leicester could lose consecutive Premier League home matches for the first time since January to February 2015.
Ipswich Town in 1962-63 are the only reigning champions to have a worse record after 18 matches than Leicester's four wins, five draws and nine defeats.
The only reigning champions to be relegated from the top flight were Manchester City in 1937-38.
Leicester haven't lost their final league match of a calendar year since 2010 (W3, D2).
The Foxes have lost two of their last four home Premier League games - as many as they'd lost in their previous 31 top-flight matches at the King Power Stadium.
Leicester are without a clean sheet in 11 Premier League games. They last went on a worse run in 2002, when they went 14 games without a shutout.
West Ham United

West Ham could win four consecutive Premier League games for the first time since February 2014.
They have not achieved back-to-back away wins in the division for more than 15 months.
Michail Antonio has scored 16 Premier League goals for West Ham since the start of last season - five more than any other Hammers player.
SAM's verdict
Most probable score: 2-1 Probability of draw: 22%
Probability of home win: 58% Probability of away win: 20%
SAM (Sports Analytics Machine) is a super-computer created by @ProfIanMcHale at the University of Salford that is used to predict the outcome of football matches.

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Leicester v West Ham preview: Hammers target fourth straight win at struggling Foxes
Last Updated: 30/12/16 9:03am
SSN

West Ham will hope to continue their impressive run of wins in their New Year's Eve clash against Premier League champions Leicester, who are in the midst of a torrid run of form in the league. The Foxes are three points off the drop zone and have won only two of their past 10 games in the league while progressing to the last 16 in the Champions League. However, Bilic insists that it was always going to be difficult to maintain the heroics they produced last season. "From last season, the only way was down," Bilic said. "It was not a miracle, but it was a big achievement for them, one of the biggest in football history so it was difficult, especially for the manager, to maintain that level. "The Champions League didn't help, definitely. They did tremendously well in the Champions League. In the Premier League, okay they didn't do well but they are now in a position that they are not happy about it. But there's still a long way to go."

Team news

West Ham will welcome back midfielder Pedro Obiang for their trip to Leicester on Saturday. The 24-year-old Spaniard missed the Hammers' Boxing Day win at Swansea due to suspension but should start for their New Year's Eve clash. Midfielder Manuel Lanzini is back in training as he recovers from an abdominal strain sustained against Hull but remains sidelined. Bilic confirmed that defender Sam Byram trained with the squad on Wednesday but will be out for up to "five or six weeks" with an ankle problem. Gokhan Tore (knee), Reece Oxford (ankle) and Simone Zaza (knee) are unavailable while defender James Collins could return to the squad after missing the last few games with a muscular injury.

Leicester boss Claudio Ranieri confirmed Riyad Mahrez will start after he came on as a second-half substitute against Everton Robert Huth and Christian Fuchs are also available after one-match bans but Vardy continues to serve a three-match suspension.

Match stats

Leicester are unbeaten in their past three in the Premier League against West Ham (W2 D1) - they've never gone four without defeat against the Hammers in the Premier League.
West Ham last failed to score against Leicester in a league match in August 2004 (in the Championship).
West Ham have beaten the reigning Premier League champions only once in an away match (D1 L18), beating Manchester United 1-0 in December 2001.
Leicester haven't lost their final league match of a calendar year since 2010, winning three and drawing two in the five years since.
The Foxes have lost two of their last four home Premier League games - as many as they'd lost in their previous 31 top-flight matches at the King Power Stadium.
West Ham have won their last three Premier League games - they last won four consecutively in February 2014.
Leicester are without a clean sheet in any of their last 11 Premier League games, their worst run since August 2014 (also 11 games). They last went on a longer run in April 2002, when they went 14 top-flight games without a shutout.
Since the start of last season, Michail Antonio has scored 16 Premier League goals for West Ham - five more than any other Hammers player (Payet and Carroll on 11).
Foxes midfielder Andy King's last league brace came against West Ham in a Championship encounter in October 2011.
Leicester have made the second-worst start by a top-flight reigning champion after 18 games (17 points), since Ipswich in 1962/63 (15 points, assuming three for a win).

Merson's prediction

No Jamie Vardy again for Leicester, while West Ham had a great result at Swansea. I'm going with a West Ham win - I watched them against Hull at home and they were absolutely rinsed, but won 1-0 when it could have been four for Hull. All of a sudden, they go to Swansea and the players want the ball. There's no pressure on them at Leicester, but there is for the hosts. With Andy Carroll up front, West Ham are a completely different team. These wins have given them confidence and all of a sudden they're flying - while Leicester are struggling at the moment.

PAUL PREDICTS: 1-3 (28/1 with Sky Bet)

Betting

It's an even-money chance with Sky Bet for Premier League champions Leicester to bounce back from defeat to Everton on Boxing Day with three points against West Ham at the King Power. The Hammers are 5/2, with the draw available at the same price. The Foxes are 9/4 to win 1-0, 2-0 or 2-1, and 5/1 to win by exactly two goals. It's 8/13 for both teams to score, with Islam Slimani (5/1) and Andy Carroll (6/1) rated the likeliest first goalscorer from each side.

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West Ham boss Slaven Bilic denies interest in Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford
By PA Sport
Last Updated: 30/12/16 8:24am
SSN

West Ham boss Slaven Bilic says there is no truth in reports suggesting he will make a loan move for Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford in the January transfer window. The arrival of Zlatan Ibrahimovic has seen Rashford reduced to a bit-part player under new boss Jose Mourinho and he has struggled for game time, despite breaking into the United and England squads last season. Bilic admitted the club could invest in an English player with Premier League experience but he was quick to dismiss the speculation surrounding the player ahead of the Sky Live clash between the sides on January 2. "No way," Bilic said. "Rashford is very valuable for Manchester United. There's no way to get him. "They have many games, four competitions. He's playing, so no way."
The Hammers have also been linked with Juventus full-back Patrice Evra and Sunderland striker Jermain Defoe ahead of their New Year's Eve clash with Leicester but Bilic is expecting numerous calls from agents around the world ahead of the next window "It's that time of the year. You have the agents calling. I think we have a good principle. We have chairmen, there's me and my staff, and we are working quite well. "When you talk to them, everybody is like [Lionel] Messi or whatever. They are also very cheap, dying to come, and they have a little West Ham tattoo. Not now... but since the school days and all that. You know it's that time of the year. "At the end of the day it's part of the job. If it was during the whole year it would be crazy but then you have it twice a year. It is sometimes too much but sometimes you want it. "If we were talking about getting players then you cannot get them without agents. So you can't say I don't want to talk to them because then you will not get the players."

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West Ham loanee Simone Zaza could join Valencia in January
By Sky Sports News HQ
Last Updated: 30/12/16 11:08am
SSN

Valencia are closing on a deal to sign West Ham loanee Simone Zaza, Sky sources understand Striker Zaza has proved a disappointment since his arrival at the London Stadium on loan from Juventus over the summer. The Italy international has made eight Premier League appearances, and 11 for the club in total, but is yet to score his first goal in England and is expected to cut his move short in January. Juventus are looking for a similar deal with Valencia to the one that brought Zaza to West Ham, a loan deal with an obligation to buy for £17m after a certain number of appearances is reached. Valencia could appeal to the 25-year-old former Sassuolo striker as they are coached by former Italy boss Cesare Prandelli. Zaza's father Antonio said on Thursday: "The West Ham adventure is finished and we are looking at different options for his future. "We're speaking with Valencia but theirs is not the only concrete option we're considering. "Of course, my son would love to be coached by a great coach like Cesare Prandelli, but it's possible that Simone could return to Serie A."

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Jermain Defoe plays down talk of a transfer from Sunderland to West Ham
By Jefferson Lake
Last Updated: 30/12/16 8:37am
SSN

Jermain Defoe has shrugged off speculation linking him with a move away from Sunderland and says he is enjoying his football in the North East. Sky sources understand West Ham are interested in re-signing the forward in the new year as they look to bolster their striking options following an injury to Diafra Sakho.
Slaven Bilic on Thursday described Defoe - who scored 41 goals in 105 games for the Hammers between 1999 and 2004 - as a "very good player" but his manager at the Stadium of Light, David Moyes, said there is no price for which he would be willing to sell the player. "There's going to be speculation because, let's be honest, the people that score goals are wanted," Defoe told Sky Sports News HQ. "Over the years, anyone that has scored goals has been talked about in terms of moving to different clubs. "I think it's just part and parcel. The players don't really get involved; you just get your head down and you play football. "It's a good feeling to be wanted but when you're playing well and scoring goals then you must be enjoying being at the place you're at."

Defoe turned 34 in October but is confident he can continue at the highest level for years to come and is happy for the fixtures to come thick and fast. "I think it's changed now with the sports science and what we have now, you can play for as long as you want," he said. "I'd rather be in a league where you play a lot of games in a short space of time because if you're feeling sharp and scoring goals you just want to be playing. "There is an issue of fatigue but if your recovery is right then you still go into games feeling fresh."

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MATCH PREVIEW: LEICESTER V WEST HAM
By Dan Coker 30 Dec 2016 at 08:00
WTID

Blast from the past

Back in 1999/2000, West Ham United were in the midst of a season which had seen them earn UEFA Cup football, by virtue of winning the InterToto Cup, and been third in the league after five games but the campaign had started to unravel. Without a win since the end of November and out of the UEFA Cup, FA Cup and League Cup, the Hammers finally registered their first win of the new millennium on the 22nd January 2000 by beating Leicester City 3-1 at Filbert Street in front of 19,019. Manic Street Preachers were number one with 'The Masses Against The Classes' and Sleepy Hollow was in UK cinemas as Paulo and Paolo secured the three points.

The Hammers took the lead on 13 minutes when Frank Lampard played a pass into the penalty area for Paulo Wanchope to steer home his first goal in ten games. The Foxes were depleted by injuries (defender Tommy Goodwin made his only appearance for the club in this game) but were level just 11 minutes later when Emile Heskey was allowed to run at the Hammers' defence before rifling a shot beyond the injured Shaka Hislop, who was replaced two minutes later by Craig Forrest.

The Irons would be forced into a second change before half-time when a challenge from Greek midfielder Theo Zagorakis left Steve Lomas grounded with a leg injury, which saw him replaced by Michael Carrick after 38 minutes. Carrick's shot four minutes into first-half stoppage time was intercepted by Wanchope who drove through the legs of Pegguy Arphexad from a tight angle to give West Ham the lead at the interval.

Wanchope (pictured above) turned provider in the second half, sending the ball out to Paolo Di Canio on the left of the penalty area – the Italian jinked his way beyond two defenders before dispatching the ball into the bottom corner with 60 minutes played. Di Canio was later denied by Arphexad and, after beating three defenders, also saw an effort headed off the line by Phil Gilchrist. The 3-1 scoreline was enough to see the Hammers record their first away league win since late August and overtake the Foxes into eighth place in the Premier League table.

Alongside Goodwin, Jordan Stewart also made his Leicester debut that day and went on to make 127 appearances for the Foxes until his departure for Watford in 2005. Stuart Campbell and Joe Cole were midfield opponents in this match – Campbell is now Cole's manager at Tampa Bay Rowdies.

Harry Redknapp's West Ham would end the season in ninth position, while Martin O'Neill's Leicester would finish eighth and win the League Cup. Manchester United won the league title, Chelsea won the FA Cup and Di Canio was voted Hammer of the Year, with Trevor Sinclair runner-up.

Leicester City: Pegguy Arphexad, Frank Sinclair, Phil Gilchrist, Matt Elliott, Tommy Goodwin, Darren Eadie, Theo Zagorakis (Jordan Stewart), Stuart Campbell, Arnar Gunnlaugsson (Danny Thomas), Emile Heskey, Graham Fenton.

West Ham United: Shaka Hislop (Craig Forrest), Rio Ferdinand, Neil Ruddock, Javier Margas, Trevor Sinclair, Frank Lampard, Steve Lomas (Michael Carrick), Joe Cole, Marc Keller (Scott Minto), Paulo Wanchope, Paolo Di Canio.

Club Connections

Players who have represented both the Hammers and the Foxes include:

Goalkeepers: George Hebden, Colin Mackleworth.

Defenders: John Pantsil, Gary Charles, Chris Powell, Rufus Brevett, Paul Konchesky, Dai Jones, Matthew Upson, Billy Oakes.

Midfielders: Andy Impey, Shaun Newton, Nolberto Solano, Franz Carr, Sid Bishop.

Strikers: David Connolly, Mike Newell, Brian Deane, Paul Kitson, Norman Proctor, Les Ferdinand, David Kelly, Tony Cottee, Jimmy Quinn.

Frank O'Farrell, Martin Allen and Jimmy Bloomfield have played for the Hammers and managed the Foxes.

Today's focus though is on a player who only played a total of five matches for West Ham United and Leicester City. Clive Clarke was born in Dublin on the 14th January 1980 and started his career at Stoke, where he played 264 matches and won two full caps for Ireland before joining Alan Pardew's West Ham United in July 2005 for a fee of £275,000. Although primarily a left-back and signed as cover for fellow new signing and future Fox Paul Konchesky, all of Clarke's appearances for the Hammers were on the opposite flank at right-back. The 25-year-old made his debut in a 1-0 defeat at Bolton in the third round of the League Cup on 26th October 2005 but had to wait until 1st February 2006 for his first Premier League appearance, the famous 3-2 win at Arsenal in which he came up against Thierry Henry in the Gunners' final defeat at their old Highbury home. Clarke's final game in claret and blue was his home debut, on the 18th March 2006 in a 4-2 defeat to Portsmouth at Upton Park. After just three appearances for West Ham, he moved to Sunderland in August 2006 in a deal that saw George McCartney move to East London.

After four appearances for the Wearsiders, Clarke moved to Coventry for a three-month loan spell. He joined Leicester at the age of 27, then managed by another former Hammer in Martin Allen, in another three-month loan deal in August 2007 but in a League Cup second round tie at Nottingham Forest, just twelve days and two matches into his loan spell, Clarke collapsed and suffered a cardiac arrest in the changing rooms at the City Ground causing the match to be abandoned at half-time. Five days after the incident, Clarke told the BBC:

"I remember feeling a bit lethargic on the field in the first half, and I was involved in a collision with our goalkeeper Paul Henderson, which led to their goal. I sat quietly in a corner of the dressing room and felt a bit queasy. I can recall [team-mate and centre-half] Patrick Kisnorbo talking to me, but it wasn't really registering. Then I just passed out. When I was told what had happened, the blood drained from my body. I just thought I could have been dead and that I might never have seen my family again".

Clarke never played professional football again, returning to Sunderland as scheduled in November 2007 and leaving the Black Cats by mutual consent in February 2008 on medical advice. Now 36, Clarke is a managing director of JPA Worldwide, a management and marketing service in the professional sports industry.

Referee

The referee on New Year's Eve will be Anthony Taylor – the Hammers were allocated the 38-year-old on five occasions last season as he took charge of our defeat at Tottenham, as well as our home win over Newcastle which came just three games after he had controversially sent off Adrian against Leicester. He was also the man in the middle for our FA Cup third round win over Wolves and our 3-2 win at Everton in March. Most recently, Taylor took charge of our 2-0 defeat at Everton in October and our 2-1 defeat at Chelsea in August, awarding the home side a penalty and later controversially failing to issue a second yellow card to Diego Costa for an awful lunge at Adrian – Costa remained on the pitch to score the 89th-minute winner.

Indeed, controversy and incident are never far away when the Cheshire-based official is the referee for a West Ham United match. Taylor is the referee who had not one, but two red cards rescinded from the same game after he had sent off Carlton Cole and Darron Gibson in the Hammers' 2-1 home defeat to Everton in December 2012. He sent off the home side's Kevin Mirallas against the Hammers at Goodison Park in March and awarded the Toffees a penalty which Romelu Lukaku saw saved by Adrian.

Possible line-ups

Leicester City have no injury concerns but Claudio Ranieri will be without suspended England striker Jamie Vardy. Ranieri rested Danny Drinkwater and Riyad Mahrez against Everton on Boxing Day and changes could be in store for the Foxes. Leicester are unbeaten in their last four matches against the Hammers in all competitions, while West Ham have not recorded a Premier League win away at Leicester since this preview's featured match, in January 2000.

For West Ham United, Sam Byram, Reece Oxford, Manuel Lanzini and Simone Zaza are back in training and Pedro Obiang returns from suspension. Alvaro Arbeloa is out for a few more weeks with a badly bruised leg which has put him on crutches since the Arsenal match while fellow full-back Arthur Masuaku is several weeks away from a return after suffering a knee injury in training. James Collins returns to training next week after a calf strain but Gokhan Tore and Diafra Sakho are out for months after knee and back surgery respectively. Michail Antonio will miss the home match against Manchester United on Monday if he is booked at Leicester – New Year's Eve is the cut-off point for receiving a ban though so Antonio will not receive a suspension for five bookings after that date. West Ham have only won two of their last ten Premier League away games. The Hammers have only won once at the home of a reigning Premier League champion, when Jermain Defoe scored the only goal of the game at Manchester United in December 2001. The Irons have drawn one (at Chelsea in March) and lost 18 of their other matches away to reigning title-holders.

Possible Leicester City XI: Schmeichel; Simpson, Morgan, Huth, Schlupp; Mahrez, Mendy, Drinkwater, Albrighton; Slimani, Musa.

Possible West Ham United XI: Randolph; Kouyate, Reid, Ogbonna; Antonio, Obiang, Noble, Cresswell; Ayew, Carroll, Payet.

Enjoy the game – Up The Hammers!

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West Ham eye Jermain Defoe return as David Moyes faces fight to keep "priceless" striker at Sunderland
The Hammers are desperate for firepower and could look to bring back the 34-year-old who left the club in 2004
BYDARREN LEWISNEIL MCLEMAN
22:30, 29 DEC 2016UPDATED21:04, 29 DEC 2016
The Mirror

David Moyes faces a battle to keep Jermain Defoe , with West Ham convinced the Sunderland striker wants to join them next month. Moyes last week insisted Defoe remains "priceless" to the Black Cats and maintained the marksman would not be sold. But Slaven Bilic is ready to wait until the end of the window to bring Defoe back to the Hammers, where he made his name scoring goals between 1999 and 2004. The Hammers are desperate for striking power in January with Andre Ayew away on African Nations Cup duty and Diafra Sakho injured. And Bilic yesterday refused to rule out a move for the 34-year-old who left Upton Park under a cloud to join Tottenham in 2004. "He's a very good player," said the former Croatia boss. "Defoe is scoring goals and that is important. "I have a few midfielders from different countries telling me his movement is the best of strikers they have played with. He's someone else's player so I don't want to talk about it."

Bilic believes Defoe would complete a fearsome attacking line-up at the club, now on a three-game winning streak, as they push for a European place over the second half of the season. Dimitri Payet has so far provided 15 Premier League assists in 2016, more than any other player. West Ham believe Defoe would thrive from the ammunition provided by the Frenchman. When asked what type of players he is after, Bilic said: "You have the boxes you would like and you want the players to tick all the boxes - young, cheap, scoring goals, if they have experience in the Premier League, they are handsome! "Unfortunately you can't have players like that all the time as other clubs are looking for them. We are trying so many times. "English and British players have priority as this is an English club."

Defoe has hit eight League goals for the Wearside this season, more than twice that of Victor Anichebe and Patrick van Aanholt, both with three. Last season Defoe struck 15 times for the Black Cats to save them from relegation and make himself a fans' favourite. But the Sunderland board have failed to splash the cash to bring in proven quality and are again battling against the drop. It is understood Moyes, whose men travel to Burnley on Saturday, may even have to sell to buy in this window in his bid to save the Premier League strugglers. Everton remain interested in centre-back Lamine Kone who put in a transfer request last summer in a bid to force a move to Goodison Park before being persuaded to sign a new deal by Moyes. Defoe still has friends and family in London, where he also played for Spurs over two spells totalling nearly ten years.

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Manchester United transfer news: Slaven Bilic rules out West Ham move for Marcus Rashford
Bilic said there way 'no way' he would be allowed to leave
Olawale Kuponipe
The Independent

West Ham boss Slaven Bilic says there is no truth in reports suggesting he will make a loan move for Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford in the January transfer window. The arrival of Zlatan Ibrahimovic has seen Rashford reduced to a bit-part player under new boss Jose Mourinho and he has struggled for game time following his breakout season. Although Bilic admitted that the club could invest in an English player with Premier League experience, the 48-year-old Croatian was quick to dismiss the speculation. "No way," Bilic said. "Rashford is very valuable for Manchester United. There's no way. There's no way to get him. They have many games, four competitions. He's playing. So no way. No way."

The Hammers have also been linked with Juventus full-back Patrice Evra and Sunderland striker Jermain Defoe ahead of their New Year's Eve clash with Leicester but Bilic is expecting numerous calls from agents around the world ahead of the next window. He added: "We are the club that is linked with the most players in Europe! Every player that is available, it is always West Ham. "It's that time of the year. You have the agents calling. I think we have a good principle. We have chairmen, there's me and my staff, and we are working quite well. "Of course, you are bombed with names and everything. When you talk to them, everybody is like (Lionel) Messi or whatever. They are also very cheap, dying to come, and they have a little West Ham tattoo. Not now... but since the school days and all that. You know it's that time of the year. "At the end of the day it's part of the job. If it was during the whole year it would be crazy but then you have it twice a year. It is sometimes too much but sometimes you want it. "If we were talking about getting players then you cannot get them without agents. So you can't say I don't want to talk to them because then you will not get the players."

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West Ham plot £4m move for Taulant Xhaka in January transfer window
Taulant is the brother of Arsenal midfielder Granit
BYFRANCISCO ACEDO
19:58, 30 DEC 2016UPDATED19:59, 30 DEC 2016
The Mirror

West Ham are considering a move for Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka's brother Taulant. They have been sounded out about the Basel midfielder's potential availability in January. Valencia are also watching developments on the 25 year old who can also play in defence. West Ham are backing Slaven Bilic in the transfer window and Xhaka would cost around £4m. His brother has been a regular for Arsenal this season, scoring three goals and receiving one red card. The Hammers currently lie 11th in the Premier League.

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Sunderland striker Jermain Defoe admits ''it's a good feeling to be wanted'' amid West Ham interest
The forward hit 41 goals in 105 games in his first spell with the Hammers and Slaven Bilic has admitted the ex-Spurs man is 'a very good player'
BYJAMES WHALING
10:14, 30 DEC 2016UPDATED10:14, 30 DEC 2016
The Mirror

Sunderland striker Jermain Defoe has admitted 'it's a good feeling to be wanted' amid interest from his former club West Ham. The forward hit 41 goals in 105 games in his first spell with the Hammers and Slaven Bilic has admitted the ex-Spurs man is 'a very good player'. An injury to Diafra Sakho has forced Bilic to scour the market and the Irons are weighing up their forward options ahead of the January window. David Moyes insists the Black Cats are not willing to sell Defoe, but the England international knows he is attracting interest. "There's going to be speculation because, let's be honest, the people that score goals are wanted," he told Sky Sports. "Over the years, anyone that has scored goals has been talked about in terms of moving to different clubs. "I think it's just part and parcel. The players don't really get involved; you just get your head down and you play football. "It's a good feeling to be wanted but when you're playing well and scoring goals then you must be enjoying being at the place you're at."

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Cottee: 2016 has been unique for West Ham, now we can move forward
09:30 29 December 2016 Tony Cottee, West Ham Columnist
Eastlondonadvertiser.co.uk

Our Hammers Columnist Tony Cottee looks back over an historic year for his beloved club

You have to say that 2016 has been a year unlike all others for the club and it has also been a totally rollercoaster West Ham year. It has been unique. For the first time since 1904 we have started at a new stadium; we have changed training grounds; we've seen players come and go and we have seen Slaven Bilic have a superb first season. The most memorable moment of the year for me was that final, emotional game at Upton Park against Manchester United – that has to be one of my most 
memorable moments of all time at the old ground We have now moved on to the London Stadium and though there is still work to do there, I think it is positive. I liken it to moving house. When you get in there, you miss your old house and the new one needs a bit of 
tinkering, but in the end it is going to be better.
We have had approaches to take us over and I liken that to people knocking on the door of your new house and asking if it is for sale – it is a compliment. I want to see us go forward as a club and though it is not going to happen overnight, I want to see us win trophies and 
qualify for the Champions League in the next few years. We are certainly finishing the year well with a fantastic result at Swansea City on Boxing Day, which took us back to the away form of last season. That made it 10 points out of 12 and things look a lot rosier for us going into the next two games. The first of those is a trip to one of my old teams in Leicester and I really think we have a chance of getting another three points. They have beem so 
inconsistent in the league this season and will also be without Jamie Vardy who is so important to their team. We should have won there last season only to concede a last-minute goal, but I think we are capable of getting a result there this time. After that we have a huge clash with Manchester United at home on Monday.
In reality we have only had two big home games this season against Arsenal and Chelsea and I think the atmosphere for this one is going to be the best yet. Jose Mourinho is starting to get them playing well after a slow start and in Zlatan Ibrahimovic I think they have one of the best strikers in Europe still. But we have chances to win both, so I am going for a 2-1 victory at Leicester and 1-1 against United. A happy and prosperous new year to all West Ham fans. COYI!

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Happy New Year one and all. The next digest will be 3rd January 2017 COYI!

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