Andy Carroll remains a fearsome striker capable of causing any defender problems, according to former team-mate Marlon Harewood.
Carroll's future is up in the air after undergoing ankle surgery, with his current deal expiring at the end of the season and West Ham yet to trigger an extension to his contract.
Ex-Hammers striker Harewood played alongside Carroll during a loan spell at Newcastle in 2009 and hopes the former England striker can rediscover his best form and silence his doubters.
"Andy can give any defender problems, and I loved playing with him and feeding off him," Harewood told Sky Sports News.
"We formed a really good partnership. He's since had rotten luck with injuries but Andy is still a top-class player.
"He is one of the best headers of a ball in the Premier League but the key is getting him fit and back on the pitch.
"The setbacks must be really hard for him but that's football. I hope he bounces back and has a really good year to silence some of his critics."
Harewood was speaking at a Football for Peace (FfP) fundraiser hosted by the Global Gift Foundation charity.
The event helped raise funds to support FfP projects, including the Football Saves Lives initiative, which helps safeguard young people from exposure to social issues such as radicalism, hate crime and mental health problems.