Blow for West Ham as Sakho sits out

West Ham have suffered “a blow” with the news that Diafra Sakho has suffered a ruptured thigh muscle.

Sakho missed last week’s loss at Watford – the Hammers’ first away defeat of the season – and Slaven Bilic says the forward will also be sidelined for Saturday’s clash with Everton at Upton Park.

The manager said at his weekly press conference: “It is set-back as he is very important player to us.

“He did not get injured in training and reported after training before the Watford game when he felt something.

“Unfortunately it is a small tear, a rupture in his thigh. The prognosis is he will be back for the game after the international break.

“It is a blow for us. He harrasses the defence. He dictates the rhythm of the game a lot, with his pace, quality and determination. But it is not a major set-back.”

Winston Reid returns to the squad against the Toffees, while Alex Song will play a friendly against Charlton next week as he steps up his return from an ankle operation in the summer.

“Song just started training with us,” Bilic said. “He started training before Watford and he’s been with us for one week now.

“He’s ok, there’s no problem whatsoever and now a matter of fitness and match fitness. We have a friendly game now on Wednesday and hopefully he’s going to be fit soon.”

Bilic’s acknowledges Everton will arrive in east London in buoyant mood following their 6-2 win over Sunderland last week, but the Hammers’ boss says his side will be equally positive, despite the Vicarage Road defeat last Saturday.

He said: “They are confident but so are we. In our last home game we beat the champions (Chelsea). Obviously in our last game we played badly and lost at Watford but we know why we lost that game.”