The inspirational England international has been struggling all season with an Achilles problem and was replaced after 76 minutes of last week's 3-0 defeat at Bolton.

Kieron Dyer has returned to the club from a loan spell at Ipswich and Jack Collison continued his return from a long-term knee injury for the West Ham reserves in a midweek draw with Villa. Junior Stanislas (hernia) is ruled.

Manager Avram Grant will serve the second of his two-match touchline ban following comments made about referee Mike Jones during last month's 2-1 FA Cup quarter-final defeat to Stoke.

Provisional squad: Green, Jacobsen, Tomkins, Upson, Bridge, Parker, Noble, Hitzlsperger, Piquionne, Spector, Ba, Cole, Boffin, Reid, Da Costa, Boa Morte, Obinna, O'Neil, Keane.