Aaron Cresswell says West Ham are in a positive frame of mind heading into the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final against Lyon on Thursday.

It's the first time the Hammers have reached the last eight of a European competition since 1981, after Andriy Yarmolenko scored an emotional extra-time winner to beat Sevilla 2-0 in the previous round.

"We've got a great team spirit and have shown that over the last three years," said Cresswell.

"We've got a small, tight-knit squad and I think that takes us a long way. We're looking forward to the games and a potential semi-final is massive."

West Ham eased through the group stage of the competition and celebrated overturning a 1-0 deficit against six-time Europa League winners Sevilla with a famous victory at London Stadium last month.

Cresswell added that the support from the home fans will be crucial if they are to reach the semi-finals.

He said: "The progression the club has made over the last two years, it's kind of our fortress now and teams have found it hard to play there.

"Certainly, the atmosphere against Sevilla was special, and hopefully we can replicate that again."

The return leg take place in Lyon on Thursday, 14 April.

Image source, Reuters

This is Leicester's first home game since a statue was unveiled in honour of the club's former owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha who died in a helicopter crash.

He was killed with four others in the crash at the King Power Stadium in October 2018.

The statue has been placed on a plinth bearing the former chairman's initials and the words "The Boss" and "The Possible Man".

Read more here.

Simon Stone
BBC Sport at the London Stadium

The stadium announcer is making a lot of the fact this is West Ham's first European quarter-final for 41 years.

He just read the teams out. In number order, Declan Rice (41) comes at the end.

The announcer said Rice was following in the footsteps of legendary Hammers skippers Billy Bonds and Bobby Moore, who among other things, was skipper when West Ham won the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1965.

Some boots to fill those.

Image source, Getty Images

Leicester City boss Brendan Rodgers, speaking to BT Sport: "We want to play the football we know we can play. The intensity is important tonight and we're looking to attack. Marc Albrighton coming in gives us that pressing top end of the field.

"PSV are a very good attacking team. They are doing very well in their domestic league. They are a big club and are former European Cup winners."

Simon Stone
BBC Sport at the London Stadium

West Ham's first European quarter final since 1981 promises to be an occasion to savour.

However, for manager David Moyes, who last reached this stage of European competition in 2014 when he was in charge of Manchester United, there is jeopardy in the knowledge this is only the first game of a difficult tie.

"This represents a completely different dynamic," Moyes says in his programme notes for this evening's game.

"It is a gear change from the last round when the second leg was in our home stadium.

"Tonight, we must demonstrate a level of maturity and experience as we face the first-leg at home against a very good Lyon side."

West Ham boss David Moyes says his "new boys on the block" dare not dream about the prospect of a Europa League semi-final with Spanish giants Barcelona.

The Hammers will meet Barca in the last four if the two clubs overcome Lyon and Eintracht Frankfurt respectively.

Moyes' side host Lyon at London Stadium in Thursday's quarter-final first leg.

"We're not looking any further than Lyon, they were in the Champions League semi-final two years ago. It would be crazy to look beyond this," he said.

"How could we dare? They are too big a club. We're really excited by getting to the quarter-final of a European competition. It's a big deal for any club."

Read more here.

Image source, Getty Images

West Ham reached the last eight of the Europa League with a dramatic victory over Spanish side Sevilla in the last 16.

After losing 1-0 to Julen Lopetegui's side in Spain, the Hammers took the tie to extra time courtesy of Tomas Soucek's header just before half time in London.

Ukraine forward Andriy Yarmolenko would then find the winner, with 112 minutes on the clock, to send David Moyes' side through and give him hero status at the club.

Image source, Reuters

PSV's England Under-21 international Noni Madueke starts against Leicester. The 20-year-old Londoner moved to the Dutch club in 2018 from Tottenham and has scored six goals this season - including three in Europe.

"From the moment I came here, I liked the aura straight away. It just felt like the right next step," attacking midfielder Madueke tells Sky Sports., external

On returning to England to face Leicester, he adds: "It is definitely a big game. I am coming back home. It is my first game against an English team. It will be another experience but I just see it as another game we have to win."

PSV Eindhoven boss Roger Schmidt, speaking to BT Sport: "We hope we can win something this season. We approach this game with courage because without that you have no chance.

"You have to respect the opposition especially one with as much quality as Leicester. We will try our best to have an open game tonight.

"Leicester will try to use their home advantage and they have a lot of weapons up front. We will have to suffer a little bit for sure but we will have our own opportunities."

One of tonight's Europa League quarter-final first legs is already complete. It has seen RB Leipzig draw 1-1 with Atalanta.

Those two are battling it out to face the winner of the tie between Rangers and Sporting Braga.

If you want to follow the Scottish champions' tie you can do so here.

Simon Stone
BBC Sport at the London Stadium

One of the often repeated claims about the London Stadium is that is lacks atmosphere because of the running track.

I never really bought into that - it doesn't seem to matter at Napoli.

The noise generated in this stadium when West Ham beat Sevilla three weeks ago was incredible.

And whilst the jeopardy tonight is not the same as there can be no winner, it should be another memorable night.

Image source, Rex Features

Brendan Rodgers is expecting an “intense game” as Leicester gear up for a European quarter-final.

The Foxes beat Rennes to reach the last eight of the inaugural Europa Conference League and Rodgers hopes the supporters will replicate the atmosphere from the previous round to help them establish a first-leg lead.

“When you arrive in a quarter-final, it’s going to be an intense game,” he said. “Our supporters and players will be up for it.

“Against Rennes, we showed real resilience and guts. It’s never going to be smooth, so you have to have those characteristics.

“At home, we have to have intensity.”

Image source, Getty Images

The winner over two legs face Jose Mourinho's Roma or Norway's Bodo/Glimt in the semi-finals.

"We’re getting close to the end, so they are all big games," says Leicester defender Timothy Castagne.

"It’s a possibility for a trophy, which you can’t say no to. Europa League qualification is still an incentive too – we are very motivated."

Image source, PA Media

Brendan Rodgers said he did not "even know" what the Europa Conference League was after Leicester were demoted from the Europa League to Europe's third-tier competition in December.

Now the Foxes are two rounds away from a first European final.

With Leicester 10th in the Premier League - 14 points off the top seven - the Conference League provides them with their most realistic route into next season's Europa League.

That's because the winners of the Conference League qualify for the Europa League group stages in 2022-23.

"It's a possibility of a trophy which you never say no to. We're very positive," says Rodgers.

Jack Tanner: Like most I wasn't overly keen on this Conference League but most of these quarter finalists wouldn't look out of place at the same stage of the Europa.

Image source, Getty Images

Eight years after scoring Germany's winner in the 2014 World Cup final against Argentina in Rio de Janeiro, Mario Gotze starts against Leicester for the first time.

The attacking midfielder enjoyed stellar spells at Borussia Dortmund (twice) and Bayern Munich before moving to the Netherlands in October 2020.

Gotze does not turn 30 until June.

"I’ve not played at Leicester before so that will be nice," says Gotze.

"I like the pitches, the stadiums in England. I’ve played at Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City and Tottenham, even the new stadium."

Image source, Reuters

PSV Eindhoven have been clocking up the air miles - this is their 17th match in Europe this season.

They started in the qualifying rounds of the Champions League, dropped down to the Europa League and were then demoted to the Europa Conference League.

The 1988 European champions have visited Denmark (twice), Turkey, Portugal, Austria, France, Spain, Israel - and now England.