David Moyes has confirmed that Tomas Soucek is fit and available for the start of West Ham's season.
The January signing, who made his loan move permanent at the start of the summer, was forced to quarantine on international duty after a member of the Czech Republic coaching staff tested positive for coronavirus.
However, the midfielder - who was one of West Ham's standout performers across the second half of the season - is back and available to face Newcastle today.
"Tomas is back, all fine," said Moyes. "The problem happened in the Czech Republic but he’s been back a couple of days and trained, he’s OK. The disappointing thing from our point of view is two games that he has missed for fitness."
With Sebastian Haller now back to full fitness too, Moyes is hoping the Frenchman can rekindle his partnership with Michail Antonio, who ended last season in the form of his career as Moyes's only striker.
The Hammers boss said: "We had it on a couple of occasions last season, we did it against Southampton and before I came in as well. We got some joy. It was only through injury that we changed it around a little bit.
"That is what happens in football, sometimes you get an injury. When we lost Seb for the majority of the lockdown games the players found a way to get us goals so long may that continue."
Predicted West Ham XI against Newcastle (4-4-2): Fabianski; Johnson, Diop, Ogbonna, Cresswell; Bowen, Rice, Soucek, Fornals; Antonio, Haller
