West Ham duo could miss Cardiff game

Defenders Aaron Cresswell and Fabian Balbuena are doubts for West Ham’s Premier League clash with Cardiff on Tuesday.

Cresswell suffered a hamstring problem in Saturday’s win over Newcastle, when Balbuena took a knock. Both will be assessed before Cardiff’s visit.

Hammers boss Manuel Pellegrini said of Cresswell: “We will see him tomorrow and take the last decision, but it could be difficult.”

West Ham responded from a 4-0 home loss to Manchester City by winning 3-0 at Newcastle.

And Pellegrini added. “I hope we give maximum of our pace and quality to get three points more (against Cardiff).”

Meanwhile, Manuel Pellegrini has praised Robert Snodgrass for reviving his West Ham career.

Snodgrass spent last season on loan at Aston Villa in the Championship and Pellegrini, on his appointment as Hammers boss, told the Scotland international to lose weight if he wished to show his commitment to the cause.

Pellegrini had admired Snodgrass in opposition, when the Chilean was at Manchester City and the Scotsman was at Norwich, and informed the midfielder his future at the London Stadium depended on him.

The Hammers boss said: “There were very few words that I spoke with him at the beginning of the season. I gave him some demands about his weight, about his work.

“I always found him a good player, just will depend on what he wants, if he had a spot here for the season.

“He’s a very professional player. He’s doing it very well because he had desire to be here.”