Shola and Sammy Ameobi make Newcastle history

Sammy Ameobi will play alongside his older brother, Shola, tonight (Getty Images)

History will be made at St James' Park tonight with Shola and Sammy Ameobi set to become the first brothers to start in a major game for Newcastle in 60 years.

The pair, with Shola 11 years the senior, are likely to line up in Newcastle's Europa League Group D tie with Club Bruges, matching the feat of Ted and George Robledo, who played together for the club at the start of the Fifties.

"My parents have mentioned it and I'm sure seeing both of us on the pitch at the same time will bring them tremendous pleasure, it's no different for me," said Shola.

"We're much closer now than we used to be with being in and around the first team together. There's nearly 11 years between us so when we were growing up, I think he was maybe a little bit intimidated by me, which is normal. He's trying to go through what I've been through.

"I feel that, as a big brother, I have to make sure he's on the right track. I know my parents expect that of me.

"I'm sure he's well aware of how hard it's going to be, and what he has to put in to make it to the very top. But I want to see him surpass anything I've ever done in this game, and I know he has the ability to do that."

The Newcastle manager, Alan Pardew, has criticised fans at Sunday's Tyne-Wear derby for abusive songs aimed at Newcastle's Steven Taylor and Sunderland's Lee Cattermole. "They were not acceptable," he said. "We don't want that in the game, no type of abuse is right. I hope they are brought to task, if they are found."

Europa League: Probable teams

Tottenham Hotspur (at Maribor, 6pm kick-off):

(4-2-3-1) Lloris; Walker, Dawson, Caulker, Vertonghen; Huddlestone, Sandro; Lennon, Sigurdsson, Dempsey; Defoe.

Referee S Karasev (Rus).

TV ITV 4

Liverpool (v Anzhi Makhachkala, 8.05pm kick-off):

(4-4-1-1) Jones; Johnson, Agger, Skrtel, Robinson; Henderson, Allen, Shelvey, Downing; Cole; Suarez.

Referee B Nijhuis (Neth).

TV ITV 4

Newcastle United (v Bruges, 8.05pm kick-off):

(4-4-2) Krul; Anita, S Taylor, Perch, Ferguson; Obertan, Bigirimana, Tioté, Sammy Ameobi; Shola Ameobi, Cissé.

Referee M Hansson (Swe).

TV ESPN