I played in Newcastle United's best ever Premier League XI and critics are wrong about two stars

Rob Lee feels critics of Newcastle United could not be further from the truth with their assessments of Sean Longstaff and Dan Burn.

The influential former skipper would be in most fans' best-ever Toon Premier League line-ups, with the Londoner netting 56 goals in senior competitions for the Magpies over the years. Lee does not envy Eddie Howe's selection dilemmas in the modern-day Newcastle engine room and knows that the head coach must disappoint some big names in the next few weeks, starting with Monday's encounter with West Ham.

Sandro Tonali has been benched in recent games, while Harvey Barnes has also had to be content with a substitute role. However, Sean Longstaff had to fight his way back into contention after being dropped. With Dan Burn proving a more than able deputy for injured Dutchman Sven Botman, Lee believes that United's Geordie boys don't get anywhere near enough credit.

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Lee told Chronicle Live: "I think Dan Burn has been brilliant for us at the back. With Sven Botman being out for so long, Burn has been brilliant for all the people questioning him. He has been great so Dan will be a big miss with him being suspended on Monday. We still have the England full-backs and Fabian Schar is doing well.

"It will be interesting to see who replaces Dan. With the midfield, it is a difficult one to solve during a season. Bruno sits and gets the ball and plays. Is Bruno better being further forward and Sandro Tonali sitting back. However, I also think Tonali is better going forward.

"Bruno is not really a defensive sitting midfield player, he is creative. It is getting the right blend. Since Joe Willock has come back he has used his legs to get forward. We have so many players who can play in a midfield three.

"Sean Longstaff needs a mention because every time he plays he does well. He has his critics but what I can see is the team functions better when he's playing. Sometimes, the biggest names don't form the best teams It has always been the case with the local lads.

"They don't always get the credit they deserve or they should get. All I'll say is that when Sean plays, we win games. It is not a bad record to have. We currently have players who can score goals but if Alexander Isak gets injured we are in trouble. I'd like to see us get somebody else in January, I'm sure Eddie will feel the same."

The Magpies have clashed with West Ham at St James' Park twice before on a Monday night, with a 4-0 win in 2002 during the Sir Bobby Robson era and an emphatic 3-0 victory in 1996 in which Lee played on an evening in which Newcastle clocked up 40 goal attempts in total throughout the 90 minutes. Kevin Keegan somehow fielded a side that included attacking threat Lee, Tino Asprilla, Peter Beardsley, David Ginola, and Les Ferdinand.

Lee feels that the midfield selection will be crucial and said: "Those were the days! But I think sometimes the biggest names don't make the best team. I think Eddie is trying to find his best midfield three which is key to the rest of team. Sandro Tonali is now back and has been doing brilliant for Italy but it does not seem to work as well with Tonali and Joelinton, Bruno or Joe Willock in midfield.

"When Sean Longstaff has come back in sometimes we look a better team. Joelinton has gone to the left and Harvey Barnes has been coming on as sub and doing brilliantly. We don't have any problems at the back."

A victory over West Ham on Monday at St James' Park could see the Magpies leap back into a European place after slipping down the table. For United, things appear to be settling down after a tough summer that was badly affected by PSR issues.

Lee said: "We have had that honeymoon period where it was all going really well. Then we had a few people questioning whether we'd sign more players or spend more money. Then players were sold (Elliot Anderson and Yankuba Minteh) that I would have kept. But because of the financial rules, they had to be sold.

"I really don't understand those PSR rules, and I have not met anybody that does. If anybody can explain them to me, please do. Why are Chelsea spending billions and we have to sell two of our best young players to make ends meet? That makes no sense and that is not why PSR was brought in surely?

"People may question why we haven't spent money but if we have restrictions on us, we have restrictions on us. I just don't know how that works. It is ridiculous that you must sell your best players to make ends meet. It does not make any sense. On the positive side, once we have our best 11 players fit and on the field we are a match for anybody in the Premier League."

Lee has had a foot in both Newcastle and West Ham camps and is looking forward to Monday night's clash at St James' Park. The legendary former midfielder said: "West Ham aren't in the greatest form at the minute. I genuinely thought with the players they have they'd signed and the manager who came in Julen Lopetegui that they'd be doing a lot better.

"Jarrod Bowen is a player I rate really highly, a very dangerous player. He scored his first goal for England the other night against the Republic of Ireland at Wembley. They have got dangerous players but if we play the way we have been recently, especially at home we should beat them."