West Ham were left frustrated by defeat to Leicester but just as concerning for manager Slaven Bilic is the injuries suffered by his team.

While the international break means that the Hammers will at least be able to give their players time to be fit, Bilic still lost Winston Reid, Michail Antonio and Pedro Obiang to knocks in the 3-2 defeat.

Bilic said: “With Winston Reid, it doesn’t look good, but we have to assess him.

“Also Michail unfortunately he probably won’t be able to go to the England squad. It looks like that now. He felt a hamstring and it got worse.

“Pedro twisted his ankle in a challenge but it’s too early to say anything. We have to assess him over the next couple of days. We have the international break now and hopefully they’re going to be fit soon.”

(Michael Regan/Getty Images)

Those losses compounded a difficult weekend for Bilic as his team fell short in their comeback bid against champions Leicester.

And the Croatian manager admits his side have to tighten up in defence if they are going to bounce back.

“It is very frustrating for us to lose the game,” he added.

“We didn’t start well and what was really disappointing was the way we conceded three goals, including two very quickly.

“They basically scored their first goal from a cross and two goals from set pieces. We knew they were good in them, but we had to defend them better.”

Manager David Moyes praised Sunderland’s battling qualities as they picked up another vital point in their bid to avoid relegation from the Premier League on Saturday.

Sunderland played out a 0-0 draw with Burnley but with other results going against them the Black Cats are seven points adrift of safety.

And Moyes felt his side could easily have picked up all three points against Burnley but accepted the visitors made it difficult for Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.

“It was a bit scrappy at times, I can’t say we played overly well but I think Burnley make you play that way because they drag you into the sort of game you don’t want,” he said.

(Photo by Mark Runnacles/Getty Images)

“We had to see tough spells out and we had to dig in at times before we could get going and create opportunities. Thankfully the Lads stuck together and we managed to overcome that.

“We wanted all three points today so we are disappointed with just one but we have to use it as a positive because we’ll have to win and draw games between now and the end of the season.

“The players know exactly how much it means to everyone and what it means to win – we have emphasised it. They didn’t lose but they know it was a real chance to get three points.”

Robert Huth is confident Leicester City can continue their current run of good form as long as they continue to start faster than their opponents.

The Foxes raced into a 2-0 lead against West Ham United on Saturday through Riyad Mahrez and Huth, and held on despite a Hammers comeback to win 3-2.

It was their third straight win in the league, following back-to-back 3-1 wins over Liverpool and Hull City, and moved them six points clear of the bottom three.

And Huth felt that Leicester’s first away win of the season was long overdue.

“We were due an away win, so it’s good to come back with the three points,” he said.

“I always felt we just needed to get 1-0 up in a game. It happened against Liverpool. Since then, we’ve been getting 1-0 up and we haven’t been beaten. Long may it continue.

(Photo by Steve Bardens/Getty Images)

“It’s something we’ve done all season – once we go ahead, we don’t tend to lose games. It was something we wanted to achieve today and we managed it.

“We made it a bit harder at the end and we were hanging on a bit. Perhaps we could have wrapped the game up earlier, but we got there.”

“I think we were a bit tired at the end and we were hanging on a bit, but we managed to get a 2-0 lead early-on, which set us up for the game.”

Liverpool legend Ian Rush believes Steven Gerrard has what it takes to be a success in the Anfield hotseat in the not-too-distant future.

After hanging up his boots former captain Gerrard returned to Liverpool last month to work as a coach within the club’s Academy.

However Gerrard has made no secret of his desire to one day progress from coaching into management.

And while Rush, Liverpool’s all-time leading goalscorer, is full of praise for the job Jurgen Klopp is doing right now, he is excited about the prospect of Gerrard taking the reins.

He said: “I think Jurgen Klopp has done well to welcome him back, get him coaching in the Academy. It means he isn’t being flung in at the deep end of coaching or ­managing, which would have been the case at MK Dons.

“At the moment, there’s no better man for the job than Jurgen Klopp. But, maybe, in the future we can start a new Anfield dynasty, with Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher calling the shots.

“Stevie G has the perfect pedigree to, one day, take over as manager. He joined the club as a kid, was brought into the team by Gerard Houllier, has captained the side, been the club’s best player for years.

“So the stage is set – if he wants it. The fans would love it.

“He also knows the importance to the supporters of bringing good local talent through. We’ve got some good foreign players in the squad, but fans love to associate ­themselves with their own – players such as Stevie G, Jamie ­Carragher and Robbie Fowler.”

The fans have made all the difference for Burnley on their road trips – according to defender Ben Mee.

The Clarets held on for a 0-0 draw against Sunderland last time out and are still waiting for a first away win in the league this season.

But they have secured two draws from their four away games in a row that has meant a near month-long road trip.

But they are back at Turf Moor for two games in a row after the international break and Mee wants to reward their loyal fanbase that follow them all over the country.

“It will be nice to get back playing in front of the home fans, but fair play to the away fans,” he said.

“They’ve been fantastic for us. After every game they are there clapping us and we notice that.

“It’s been fantastic to see that after the game and all credit to them for still following us and supporting us.

(Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)

“We are in a good position going into the final games and we want to push on and get as many points we can.

“We would like to win away from home to stop people talking about the away form, which actually hasn’t been too bad performance-wise.

“We have just struggled to get those wins and today was another one.”

Bournemouth finally have a clean sheet in 2017 to celebrate and defender Steve Cook hopes it is the first of many.

Saturday’s 2-0 win over Swansea moved the Cherries nine points clear of the Premier League relegation zone.

And their defensive solidity has been steadily improving of late – according to Cook.

“A clean sheet’s been a long time coming,” he said. “It’s been since Swansea away on New Year’s Eve, which is far too long; we’ve conceded a lot of goals.

“As a back four we’ve been working really hard in the last couple of weeks and ever since Manchester United we’ve looked very solid.

(Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)

“I’m delighted, it’s like scoring goals when you’re a defender so a clean sheet is huge for us.”

“We’ve been persistent. Over the last three games we’ve looked more solid as a team and we’re working very hard out on the pitch and on the training ground.”

Stoke City can match the big boys in the Premier League – as they proved against Chelsea according to keeper Lee Grant.

Grant was at fault for the first goal in a narrow 2-1 defeat to the Premier League leaders, failing to get down to parry Willian’s low free-kick.

But a penalty from Jonathan Walters levelled up matters before Gary Cahill snatched victory for the Blues at the death.

And Grant – who made a number of fine saves in the second half to make up for his error – admitted mistakes had cost them dear.

But the shotstopper also could take confidence from how close they ran the big boys.

“We are disappointed because this was a game we’d highlighted as one we thought we could get something out of,” the 34-year-old said.

“I think the attitude and level of performance was really good so to come away with nothing off the back of nothing more than a couple of mistakes for the goals is really disappointing.

“That’s probably the most disappointing thing about the day because with the level of work-rate, endeavour and organisation we were just undone on a couple of little details.

 (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)

“Obviously for the first goal I hold my hands up because I feel I should have done better with it.

“I’ve just watched it back a couple of times and my position was very good but it was just a small detail at the very end of the save where I’ve just misjudged the bounce of the ball.

“From my perspective it’s frustrating because I’ve not really had too many of them this season but fortunately I was able to make some saves in the second half which kept us in the game.

“However, as I’ve said, unfortunately they’ve just been able to come away with all three points.”

Walter Mazzarri insists it is not panic stations at Watford just yet, despite the Hornets slipping down the Premier League table.

Despite Sam Allardyce’s Crystal Palace failing to record a single shot on target, the Eagles still got the better of Watford on Saturday with Troy Deeney’s own goal handed them the win.

That means Watford have won just two of their previous 13 games and sit 14^th in the table, seven points above the relegation zone.

But manager Mazzarri is not sweating, adamant the Hornets have time on their side to lift themselves out of trouble.

“They already asked me this question and I replied, if we have to look at the league table then I’m not worried about the position we are in,” he said.

“The team was good on the pitch, we were just missing something going forward. We need to be better.

“If we look at this game specifically, and in the whole of the Premier League season – we should have had four or five more points than we do.

“The Premier League still has plenty of time to go and if we keep playing like this it shouldn’t be a problem.”

Chelsea head into the international break with at least a ten-point buffer at the Premier League summit and Gary Cahill admits his side are in a very healthy position to carry off the title.

The Blues downed Stoke on Saturday and it was Cahill who snatched the late winner at the bet365 Stadium in a 2-1 win.

And with England now back in action for their World Cup qualifiers, the Premier League does not return until April for Antonio Conte’s side.

But Cahill is confident his side are well placed to carry their momentum into the season run-in.

“We spoke at the start of the month about the fact that we only had two games, but we knew what position we would put ourselves in if we won them both,” he said.

“So we are pleased to go into the international break now in a really healthy position. That win could be vital at the end of the season.

“At the end of the game and in the changing room we were buzzing. We know how important come the end of the season that could be.”

(Photo credit should read JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP/Getty Images)

Cahill was ruled to have fouled Jon Walters for the Stoke penalty that was put away by the Irish front man.

And after Willian’s opener, Cahill was delighted to have contributed to another victory by slamming home the winner.

“I was so confident when it fell, it would have been harder to miss. My eyes lit up when I saw the chance and I was delighted to stick it away,” he added.

“I was disappointed that I was involved in their goal with the penalty, when something goes against you, you know there is only one way to get yourself out of it.”

Romelu Lukaku racked up his 20th and 21st Premier League goals in the dying minutes of Everton’s 4-0 victory over Hull City today and Ronald Koeman insists nobody should be shocked by the Belgian’s latest feat.

The 23-year-old is now the first Everton player to score 20 or more goals in a Premier League season, stealing the show again despite turning down a lucrative new Everton contract in the week.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin became the first Everton player with a double barrelled surname to score since John Eyton-Jones in 1888, with Enner Valencia netting a second before Lukaku’s injury-time flourish.

(Photo by Mark Robinson/Getty Images)

And Dutchman Koeman praised the Belgian’s immense professionalism.

“Nobody should be surprised,” he said.

“He is a professional and every professional gives the best for the club, the players, for everybody.

“It was difficult for him but when he got more space, when we played well, it was 11 against 10 and we know that if he gets those kinds of chances, he will score.

“Dominic did well. The whole team did. We were really aggressive, we started well.

“The first goal was good movement of Tom Davies and the final pass was outstanding. It wasn’t our best home performance though.”