West Ham's Diafra Sakho back for Aston Villa match on Saturday

Diafra Sakho has seven goals in all competitions

West Ham striker Diafra Sakho is set to return for Saturday's Premier League match against Aston Villa.

The summer arrival from Metz was forced to sit out the Hammers 2-2 draw at Stoke on Saturday after injuring his shoulder in the victory over reigning champions Manchester City.

Sakho scored the winner as West Ham won 2-1 against City on October 25 but later collided with Joe Hart.

The Senegal international has hit six goals in his first six league starts.

Sakho was not risked at the Britannia Stadium as Sam Allardyce's side came from two goals down to take a point and it was feared he might be out for a month.

But Stijn Vandenbroucke, West Ham's head of medical and sports science, has revealed Sakho will be back at Upton Park on Saturday - and also confirmed club-record signing Andy Carroll is closing in on a first-team return having been ruled out since a pre-season ankle operation.

"Diafra ran individually on Monday at Chadwell Heath and will be available for the game," Vandenbroucke told the club's official website.

"Andy Carroll trained and played in a behind-closed-doors match last week, which he came though, and will continue to train this week."