West Ham United boss Sam Allardyce has explained resting Joe Cole for their FA Cup defeat to Manchester United.

Cole was overlooked for the trip to Old Trafford.

Allardyce said: "We left him out because he is not ready to be playing Saturday, Wednesday, Saturday.

"It would be unprofessional of me to think after he has just come from Liverpool that he could play three games in one week - it would risk him fatiguing and getting injured.

"So we left him back at West Ham to make sure he has had a full recovery and is available for Saturday."