O’Brien return ease Hammers' defensive worries

West Ham boss Sam Allardyce will welcome defender Joey O’Brien back into the squad for tomorrow’s Barclays Premier League clash at Wigan.

The 26-year-old suffered a hamstring injury during the Hammers’ 2-1 win at QPR at the start of the month and his return will ease Allardyce’s defensive worries.

Matthew Taylor (calf) and Guy Demel (thigh) could return to first-team action shortly, but Allardyce will have to wait longer for both Ricardo Vaz Te (shoulder) and Jack Collison (knee), whose injuries are more long term.

Provisional Squad: Jaaskelainen, Spiegel, O’Brien, Reid, Collins, Tomkins, McCartney, Noble, Diame, Nolan, Jarvis, Benayoun, Diarra, O’Neil, Maiga, Cole, Carroll, Spence.