Kieron Dyer looks to have his injury hell behind him after returning to fitness. He should be fir for mid-September but will spend the game against Villa in the Aston Villa Hospitality Tickets.

A plus point for Grant was the appearances of Herita Ilunga, James Tomkins, Kieron Dyer and Benni McCarthy, who all returned from long-term injuries to feature in the pre-season friendly match.

Kieron Dyer is paid an astonishing £83,000 a week by West Ham United, according to figures obtained by Telegraph Sport.

The midfielder has one year left on his deal — which includes £424,000-a-season for image rights and £100,000 in loyalty fees — and is the troubled club’s highest earner by far.

Dyer’s injury problems are well documented and he has made just 22 appearances — 11 of them this season, during which he has yet to complete a full game – since arriving for £6 million in 2007 in a deal brokered the former chairman Eggert Magnusson.

Dyer has often been replaced in the team by Junior Stanislas, who, the figures show, earns a basic £1,000-a-week, although this is supplemented by appearance money.

The figures reveal that the next highest earner at West Ham is Scott Parker, who is paid £60,000 a week and who, like Dyer, joined from Newcastle United when Magnusson went on his spending spree.

FOR MANY West Ham fans, there is nothing more important than the battle for Premier League survival. But in the greater scheme of things, that is a mere triviality compared to some of the hardships that some people face in their everyday life.

West Ham players Carlton Cole, Danny Gabbidon and Kieron Dyer took time out last week to help promote a special event at Upton Park to raise money for local charity Down Syndrome Extra 21.

The players helped out a group of youngsters with Down Syndrome as they tackled basic sprinting, hurdle jumping, javelin throwing and, of course, football skills, down on the Upton Park pitch.

For Dyer, meeting the youngsters had a profound effect on him.

"It was incredible to see the kids," he said. "They haven't got a care in the world and are loving life. It was very humbling to be there and enjoy the experience with them."

Kieron Dyer's injury curse has struck yet again with a hamstring strain which has stopped his latest comeback in its tracks.

Dyer was close to a return to West Ham's first team after a hamstring problem and hoping to feature at Sunderland on Saturday when he injured the same muscle in his other leg during training this week.

Crocked: Dyer has started just four Premier League games in two years

The 30-year-old, who has 33 England caps, has started only four Premier League games in more than two years since his £6million transfer to Upton Park from Newcastle.

'We are talking about two or three weeks,' said Hammers manager Gianfranco Zola. 'It's unbelievable. I just feel so sorry for him. This boy works so hard. He comes back and, when he's ready to be 100 per cent fit and get back into the team, he gets injured again.

'It's a real pity because he's one of the players who can give us something really good.

West Ham have been handed a major injury boost with the news that Kieron Dyer is back in training and could play at Sunderland.

The injury plagued midfielder has been out of the side since the defeat to Bolton in the Carling Cup back in September when he damaged his hamstring but he is now set for a place on the bench at Sunderland.

The former England man is now back in full training and his return to availability will be a big boost for boss Gianfranco Zola who is looking to build on the side's fight back against Arsenal last Sunday.

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