3-1 Atalanta on aggregate.

Half-time email: “Loving the picture of it kicking off, with that calmest of calm heads, Granit Xhaka, in the centre of it all restoring the peace,” writes Tim Smith. “Whispering sweet nothings into Mickey’s ear I’m sure!”

Half-time entertainment:

West Ham were decent, Leverkusen were dreadful. Test for Xabi Alonso, his side’s unbeaten record and Europa League quest under serious pressure, while David Moyes fairly bounced down the tunnel.

45+5 min Ward-Prowse goes for goal, aiming for the far side-netting, high up, but he doesn’t get sufficient elevation, allowing the keeper to flap away, just.

45+3 min Since West Ham scored and actually from a while before that,, Leverkusen have mustered no threat whatsoever, and as the first half chugs to a close, it’s the home side banging at the door; as I type, Kudus, who’s been excellent, wins a corner and Tella goes down.

45+2 min Aguerd can’t carry on nor can he struggle to the break; he’s replaced by Ogbonna.

45 min We’ll have five additional minutes.

45 min We see the Alvarez curler again and I’ll tell you what, that was going close; no matter, because Palacios fouls Alvarez and Cresswell now stands behind a free-kick 30- yards out; he floats into the box but towards no one, and the ball flies behind.

44 min Kudus digs out a cross from the left and Bowen can’t get at it, but West Ham have Leverkusen boxed, Alvarez curling from the edge only for Antonio to block the effort, before Coufal smacks one straight at Kovar.

42 min Email! “Desperately harsh on Lille,” says James Humphries, “though I reckon Villa did enough to deserve it. Mainly, though: could broadcasters just stop cutting to kids greeting in the stands? Made Brazil getting papped out by Belgium in 2018 much less fun, and they had a shot of a wee Lille fan bawling his eyes out just there. Like, we are football fans in late-stage capitalism; ffs don’t show us people losing their innocence in real-time.”

I saw that too, and it does seem unnecessary, though also part of the structure now.

42 min Aguerd won’t be able to continue, so Ogbonna is readying himself.

41 min Talking of Antonio, this is worth your time – every single second of it, please.

40 min Another decent ball into the box and again Antonio is not only up but makes first contact – he’s such a handful when properly served – and Hicapie does really well to block him off and nudge away.

39 min I don’t actually think Alonso needs to find tactical tweaks because that’s not the issue here. Rather, his team just need to play better, work harder and focus more; I daresay he’ll be apprising them of these realities at half-time.

37 min Oh man, Ageurd comes around Shick to intercept a ball to feet, rolling over his ankle in the process, and he no lies prostrate at an awkward angle, beating the ground in pain. It may be one of those that’s agony for a few seconds before wearing off, but it may also be the end of his evening.

35 min Leverkusen need half-time because they’re barely featuring now. Again, Bowen finds space to cross, swerving in on his left foot but low this time, picking out the corridor, and Antonio launches himself into a hitch-kick … but can’t quite connect.

34 min Villa have beaten Lille on penalties, Emi Martínez enjoying his life yet further. More fool those who denied the Prem’s primacy following last evening’s activities.

32 min This is shaping up, mates!

30 min It’s heating up on the touchline and Billy McKinley, a member of West Han’s backroom is sent off; where’s Knollsy when you need him eh? Oh and look at that, EVERYTHING that NO ONE wants to see: a phalanx of players jostling, chanting “Fight, fight fight!” with Antonio and Tah at their centre. They’re both booked and a replay shows that Tapsoba wouldn’t return the ball; he may or may not have also said Antonio smelled, to which Antonio may have replied “I know you do”.

29 min And here it comes, Kossounou replaced by Tapsoba. He goes straight down the tunnel and you feel for him; that’s an embarrassment none of us will ever grasp though, on the other hand, I doubt he wonders if buying a bottle rather than a can of Coke is extravagant.

28 min Yup, Taposoba is getting ready. Kossounou isn’t long for this match.

27 min In Lille, it’s gone to penalties, and Villa lead 2-1 with their hosts having missed.

25 min Poor old Kossounou. On the ball on the edge of his own box, he’s put under a bit of pressure and promptly passes into touch. And what’s this?! Kudus, out on the left, curls a terrific cross to the back post and Bowen has an aeon to wait under underneath it, opting for a sidefooter rather than laces and making decent connection too! But scrambling down by his near post, Kovar does just enough to block it to safety.

24 min So far, this has been an old skool Canon League Division One match, and that’s suiting West Ham far more than Leverkusen.

22 min West Ham are dominating now, Ward-Prowse making his way down the left and standing up a cross, but Antonio, forced to generate his own power, does a good job but can’t find the power or direction to seriously trouble Kovar.

20 min Stanisic boots the ball away and avoids a card, Moyes protesting and noising up the crowd while Alonso urges his men to chill. They’ve not been rattled much this season, but they’re not enjoying this.

18 min I wonder if Alonso will make an early change, because his defenders look petrified. An up and under allows Kudus to barge Stanisic off it from underneath, and for a second, he’s a chance to roll a square-pass into the path of the onrushing Ward-Prowse. But instead he opts to shoot, a deflection forcing Kovar to make a scrambling save, just.

16 min The referee has a quite stupendous window’s peak.

15 min The crowd fancy this now, and so do their team. Kovar and Kossounou both look extremely uncomfy out there, and if West Ham can put them under, I’d not be surprised of more mistakes follow. I wondered if it was breaking the rules to accuse someone of having a mare so early on, but then I remembered Tiemoue Bakayoko for Chelsea at Watford in 2018.

Kossounou, who’s having a mare, gives the ball away, West Ham work it to Bowen, infield off the right and 35 yards out. He curls in a brute of a cross, Kovar eventually comes, and Antonio outjumps and outmuscles both him and the unfortunate Kossounou to head a livener into the net! Lift off!

13 min Already, this has been more of a contest than the first leg.

11 min A poor throw from Coufal eventually winds up with Palacios, who shoves forward for Tella; he takes a touch, has a look, and from the edge drills a riser that Fabianski, 39 today, turns around the post. The corner comes to nowt, but that was far too easy for Leverkusen.

10 min So far, this has been a bit of a mess, and Kossounou, who looks nervous, gives it away to Kudus … whose heavy touch means he’s immediately unloaded.