Cole to miss Blues clash

Sam Allardyce will hand late checks to a host of players ahead of the trip to Chelsea on Sunday but Joe Cole is a major doubt.

The former Chelsea player would love to return to Stamford Bridge with the Hammers but he has a hamstring problem which is expected to rule him out. Elsewhere, Mark Noble and James Tomkins should be available after respective injury and illness problems but Kevin Nolan is a doubt with the foot problem he suffered last month. Left-back George McCartney is close to a return after three months out with a knee injury suffered in training in mid-December. He has returned to training and will be hoping to feature.