Europa exit can’t come soon enough for Corden

Celebrity West Ham fan James Corden says he will be delighted if the Hammers get knocked out of Europe on Thursday evening.

“I would be over the moon if we got knocked out,” the comedian told Talksport. ‘I just don’t know what we gain from it, apart from the stress in puts on the squad and on the team.”

The Hammers are currently tied 2-2 with FC Astra, heading into Thursday’s crunch clash away from home.

And comedian Corden, co-creator of the Gavin & Stacey hit TV series, added: “I read an interview with Mark Noble, who said when they got back from Malta they arrived back at 5am and then had warm-down training three hours later – it can’t be great for the team.

“Look at Everton, they have a strong squad of players, but it was only once they were knocked out of the Europa League that they started to climb out of trouble [domestically] last year.

“All that matters for West Ham is that when it comes to our first game in the Olympic Stadium, we’re playing in the Premier League, because it will be a catastrophe if we’re not.”