West Ham boss Moyes, two players test positive for coronavirus

London (AFP) – West Ham manager David Moyes and Hammers players Issa Diop and Josh Cullen have tested positive for the coronavirus, the Premier League club announced on Tuesday.

West Ham’s medical team were informed of the test results while Moyes and his squad were at the London Stadium preparing for Tuesday’s League Cup third round tie against Hull.

“The manager and both players immediately left the stadium and returned home,” a West Ham statement said.

“All three, who are asymptomatic, will now follow Public Health England and Premier League guidelines and protocols.”

Tuesday’s match went ahead as planned, with West Ham assistant manager Alan Irvine taking charge of the team.

It is the latest setback in a difficult start to the season for West Ham, who have lost their first two Premier League games against Newcastle and Arsenal.

Fans have protested against the club’s co-owners David Gold and David Sullivan, while West Ham captain Mark Noble criticised the board’s decision to sell promising youngster Grady Diangana to West Bromwich Albion.

The three positive tests came just hours after Tottenham’s League Cup tie at Leyton Orient was postponed after several members of the fourth tier side testing positive for the virus.

Earlier on Tuesday, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said fans would not be allowed back into stadiums in October as originally planned due to a spike in Covid-19 cases.

In a major blow to the financial future of English football, Johnson suggested the measures introduced on Tuesday would remain in place for “perhaps six months”, leaving teams facing the prospect of playing most of the season behind closed doors.