SATURDAY S trip to Stoke City is likely to come too soon, but West Ham duo Jack Collison and Carlton Cole are hoping for a dramatic return for the live television showdown with Liverpool on May 9. Neither has played for the Hammers since the trip to Wigan

SATURDAY'S trip to Stoke City is likely to come too soon, but West Ham duo Jack Collison and Carlton Cole are hoping for a dramatic return for the live television showdown with Liverpool on May 9.

Neither has played for the Hammers since the trip to Wigan Athletic on March 4, when Cole was harshly sent off and Collison injured his knee.

The team has struggled since then, winning just one of six Premier League games, but they are both running in training this week and on course for a return.

Collison should begin full training towards the end of the week, with 11-goalmarksman Cole hoping to join him at the beginning of next week.

Both will miss the trip to the Britannia Stadium on Saturday though, and midfielder Scott Parker is likely to be in the same boat as he is yet to return to full training.

The England man has been out for five games with a groin strain and he is likely to make that six, with West Ham travelling to the Midlands with the same squad that took on Chelsea last Saturday.

As well as the possible return of Cole, Collison and Parker for the Liverpool clash, the Hammers will also be boosted by the return of some of their loan players.

With the Football League season finishing this Saturday, Kyel Reid and Nigel Quashie at Championship winners Wolves, Jordan Spence at Leyton Orient and Joe Widdow-son at Grimsby Town will all return to the club.

Lee Bowyer will also return from Birmingham City if the Blues manage to secure promotion this weekend, otherwise he will remain with the Midlands club until after the play-offs.

One player who it seems will definitely not be returning this season is injury-victim Dean Ashton, despite stories to the contrary.