Noble looks for Hammers return

Mark Noble is pushing for a return to the West Ham squad for Sunday’s Barclays Premier League trip to Blackburn after undergoing a hernia operation.

Fellow midfielder Lee Bowyer is making a slower recovery from the same surgery and is rated as “touch and go”.

Bobby Zamora (knee) and Anton Ferdinand (hamstring) are on the mend and could return to training in a week’s time but Craig Bellamy (abdominal) remains a potential long-term concern.

Dean Ashton and Freddie Ljungberg could come back into the side after their appearances off the bench against Chelsea last weekend.

Possible squad: Green, McCarthy, Gabiddon, Upson, Neill, Etherington, Boa Morte, Parker, Mullins, Noble, Solano, Ljungberg, Cole, Ashton, Wright, Spector, Collins.