- Premier League
Carroll's return delayed by stomach virus
West Ham United and England striker Andy Carroll has suffered another setback in his bid to return to action for the first time this season after picking up a nasty stomach virus.
The former Newcastle and Liverpool forward has not played for West Ham since the club paid £15million to make his loan deal permanent after a successful spell at Upton Park last season.
Back-to-back heel injuries have ruled Carroll out of Sam Allardyce's plans since then. He now looks set to miss his target of returning in time to face Chelsea later this month.
Speaking to the Sun, a club insider said: "Andy is very depressed about the whole thing.
"He is improving but he has had stabbing pains in his abdomen for the past four or five days and an extreme stomach upset.
"It's a cruel blow as he had been making steady progress."
West Ham have failed to score in six of their 10 Premier League games so far this season and are 15th in the table, just two points clear of the relegation zone.
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