Newcastle: Dubravka, Livramento, Schar, Lascelles (C), Burn, Bruno, Longstaff, Willock, Murphy, Isak, Gordon Subs: Karius, Dummett, Ritchie, Barnes, Krafth, Hall, Almiron, Anderson, White.
West Ham: Areola, Coufal, Zouma (C), Mavropanos, Emerson, Soucek, Ward-Prowse, Kudus, Paqueta, Bowen, Antonio Subs: Fabianski, Johnson, Cresswell, Phillips, Cornet, Ings, Ogbonna, Earthy, Mubama.

News that the powers that be are 'investigating' the vast tracts of empty seats at the un yet named Stadium where West Ham play their football will come as no surprise to many season ticket holders.

On the one hand supporters are able to obtain the cheapest season tickets for a London Club by a country mile, whereas on the other, the fayre on offer is not very appetising!

The upcoming friendly between England and Brasil will give Hammers fans the unique chance to cheer on BOTH sides, with Lucas Paqueta representing Brazil and Jarrod Bowen England. Of course 'Pacman' is a guaranteed starter for Brasil, whereas '180' will probably come off the bench, if at all!

West Ham: Areola, Coufal, Mavropanos, Zouma ©, Emerson, Álvarez, Souček, Paquetá, Kudus, Bowen, Antonio Subs: Fabiański (GK), Johnson, Cresswell, Ogbonna, Aguerd, Phillips, Ward-Prowse, Earthy, Ings
Villa: Martínez ©, Lenglet, Konsa, Pau, Moreno, Rogers, Tielemans, Douglas Luiz, Bailey, Watkins, Durán Subs: Olsen (GK), Cash, Digne, Diego Carlos, Chambers, Zesler-Hayden, Zaniolo, Iroegbunam, Diaby

Supposedly Boubacar Kamara, Emi Buendia, John McGinn and Tyrone Mings are all out of the Villa team that will visit The Irons on Sunday. Even more supposedly Diego Carlos, Jacob Ramsey and Ollie Watkins are all reported as doubts!

Hmmmm, it seems as if "you are awful' was practising a bit of kidology ahead of a game that means so much for Aston Villa's crack at the champions league and Hammers attempts to at least make the Europa League again.

Anyone who thought Hammers were going to breeze through to the Europa League Cup Final was seriously deluded as Hammers were given what many see as a bad fixture against Bayer Leverkusen

For their Europa League Cup 1/4 final.

This was a great draw, it could have been so much worse, Liverpool CANNOT meet West Ham unless it is for the final! It was obvious Hammers were going to face a 'quality' team at some point, so why not Leverkusen?

West Ham: Fabiański, Coufal, Zouma ©, Mavropanos, Cresswell, Álvarez, Souček, Paquetá, Kudus, Bowen, Antonio Subs: Areola (GK), Knightbridge (GK), Johnson, Casey, Ogbonna, Aguerd, Phillips, Ward-Prowse, Earthy, Orford, Ings, Mubama

Freiburg: Atubolu, Sildillia, Ginter, Gulde, Günter ©, Höfler, Dōan, Eggestein, Höler, Grifo, Sallai Subs: Müller (GK), Uphoff (GK), Szalai, Lienhart, Keitel, Kübler, Adamu, Muslija, Philipp, Makengo, Röhl, Gregoritsch

Currently remaining tickets for tonight's crucial game against Freiburg for a place in the Europa League 1/4 finals are still available on General Sale, but with prices starting at £35 for Adults and £15 for Juniors.

Quite frankly that is ludicrous! With nearly 10,000 tickets unsold, surely the adult price should have been £20 or even lower and kids should have been only £1.00. OK, some people would moan about having paid more than late comers, but surely filling the Stadium is more important given the opportunity it gives the team to progress.

Hot on the heals of Rafa Benitez being sacked by Celta Vigo, after less than nine months. Lazio manager Maurizio Sarri has resigned after a fifth defeat in six games in all competitions, Sarri jumped before he was pushed so essentially was sacked!

63 year old Benitez and 65 year old Sarri have both been linked with managing West Ham over the years, but surely given their age and their recent underwhelming results attained, neither will be on Tim Steidten and David Sullivan's short list to replace David Moyes.

Sometimes it's hard to be a 'realistic' Hammer, the reality of being a mid table team is that the club more often than not has to feed off scraps. So when the next transfer window opens, Tim Steidten will be set the unenviable task of making a 'silk(man) purse out of a sow's ear'!

He will have a bunch of players who have little to no value that he has to move on, while trying to retain the better ones, including the club's 'jewel in the crown' trio of Jarrod Bowen, Mo Kudus and Lucas Paqueta, not forgetting 'El Machin' Alvarez as well!