West Ham boss David Moyes and players Issa Diop and Josh Cullen have returned positive tests for COVID-19, the Premier League club have announced.
The club’s medical team were informed of the test results as the team were at London Stadium preparing for Tuesday night’s Carabao Cup third-round tie against Hull.
The manager and both players immediately left the stadium and returned home.
West Ham United can confirm that David Moyes, Issa Diop and Josh Cullen have returned positive tests for COVID-19. — West Ham United (@WestHam) September 22, 2020
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 assistant manager Alan Irvine taking charge of the team.
West Ham added that their coronavirus measures remained “stringent”.
They said they offered to test the Hull team ahead of Tuesday’s match, but this was turned down.
It is understood West Ham’s and Hull’s medical departments agreed the match could go ahead within the protocols and in consultation with the EFL’s medical department, and given the evidence that suggests there is very low risk of transmission during a match outdoors.
EFL Statement: Tonight's Carabao Cup game with @SpursOfficial will not go ahead as scheduled. Read more: https://t.co/qf0tBsByj3 — Leyton Orient (@leytonorientfc) September 22, 2020
However, with the news coming on the same day that nearby Leyton Orient had their game against Tottenham postponed due to a number of positive tests, as well as when Prime Minister Boris Johnson outlined new coronavirus restrictions including no prospect of fans returning to matches any time soon, it was not a good look.
According to protocols Moyes, Diop and Cullen will have to isolate for 10 days, meaning they will miss Sunday’s match at home to Wolves.
Arsenal, against whom West Ham played at the weekend, losing 2-1 at the Emirates Stadium, will continue as planned as all protocols were followed, the PA news agency understands.
