Parker a doubt for Hammers

Midfielder Scott Parker is a doubt for West Ham ahead of their Barclays Premier League clash with Aston Villa at Upton Park.

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.