David Moyes explains Kurt Zouma absence and pleads for "forgiveness" for West Ham ace

West Ham manager David Moyes has revealed why Kurt Zouma was withdrawn from the Hammers starting eleven just minutes before the game against Leicester City at the King Power Stadium.

Zouma has been embroiled in animal abuse controversy recently after a short clip uploaded to social media showed the Frenchman kicking a cat in his home.

The footage sparked justified backlash, as did the Hammers decision to start Zouma in the home clash against Watford the day the clip was leaked.

Moyes simply explained that Zouma was one of West Ha's better players and he would let the club's hierarchy deal with it.

The decision to select him against the Foxes sparked similar question marks but they were swiftly set aside once West Ham confirmed he had been omitted from the starting eleven.

After the game, Moyes shed light on the reasoning behind why he was forced to replace Zouma with Issa Diop at the eleventh hour.

"He was ill before the game, wanted to play, we wanted him to play as well. He was sick during the night, he stayed away from the players and did not eat much," Moyes told Sky Sports.

"Once he got out he did not think it was possible. We told Issa Diop to be ready. It is a stomach bug, probably something he has eaten."

Moyes went on to explain how he hopes the controversy surrounding Zouma and the subsequent response from the Hammers does not tarnish the image of West Ham as a club.

"I hope that we have changed a bit of how West Ham is perceived, but more on the pitch. We have a good, exciting young team that we are trying to improve," Moyes said.

"West Ham have done great work down the East End of London, young supporters coming in and a lot of good things being done. We should not allow something like this to blight