Angelo Ogbonna has recovered from his hamstring injury in time to take his place in West Ham United’s starting XI for their Premier League season opener at Newcastle United on Sunday afternoon.
The Italy centre-back had been absent from pre-season action since the Hammers’ 6-2 win at Celtic three weekends ago, but has returned to training and proven his fitness to slot back in.
He starts at centre-back alongside Craig Dawson, with the familiar duo of Vladimír Coufal and Aaron Cresswell at full-back.
Łukasz Fabiański starts in goal, with new signing Alphonse Areola among the substitutes. Captain Declan Rice and Tomáš Souček, both fresh from outstanding campaigns at Euro 2020, will anchor the midfield.
Ahead of them, Jarrod Bowen, Pablo Fornals and Saïd Benrahma will provide support for Michail Antonio in attack, who enjoyed a fruitful pre-season, notching three goals in preparation for the new campaign.
West Ham United: Fabiański, Coufal, Dawson, Ogbonna, Cresswell, Rice (c), Souček, Bowen, Fornals, Benrahma, Antonio
Subs: Areola, Johnson, Baptiste, Fredericks, Diop, Noble, Coventry, Lanzini, Yarmolenko
Newcastle United: Woodman, Krafth, Fernandez (c), Clark, Murphy, Hayden, Shelvey, Ritchie, Almiron, Saint-Maximin, Wilson
Subs: Gillespie, Schar, Lascelles, Lewis, S.Longstaff, Hendrick, Fraser, Joelinton, Gayle
Referee: Martin Atkinson
