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Teenager Lewis Miley has been told to ready himself for a key role in Newcastle\u2019s midfield as they attempt to continue the fight on three fronts in the midst of an injury crisis.<\/p>\n
The 17-year-old turned in an impressive display in his Premier League home debut on Saturday to help the Magpies trounce Chelsea 4-1 after seeing Joe Willock added to a lengthy casualty list with a recurrence of an Achilles problem.<\/p>\n
Willock could be sidelined for some time as he awaits specialist advice on the way forward, and with Tuesday\u2019s Champions League trip to Paris St Germain and a Carabao Cup quarter-final visit to Chelsea to come amid a schedule which will see Eddie Howe\u2019s men play 10 more games by New Year\u2019s Day, Miley has been primed for a run in the team.<\/p>\n
https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/C0E-D1exkmJ<\/p>\n
Asked about his performance against the Blues, Howe said: \u201cHis general performance was very good. I thought he showed the composure that we saw during pre-season \u2013 I thought he executed a very good pre-season, played very well \u2013 and he\u2019s going to be a key player for us in he next few weeks.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s going to have to step up and do what we know he can do.\u201d<\/p>\n
Miley played a significant role in the opening goal with a perfectly weighted pass which allowed Alexander Isak to spin and fire home just 13 minutes into his comeback after a month out with a groin injury.<\/p>\n
Howe said: \u201cThat pass sort of represents him. To have that composure in that moment when you\u2019re so young and thrust into your debut at home, the temptation is to shoot, but he resisted that and the ability to spot Alex, so it was a brilliant pass and also a brilliant finish.\u201d<\/p>\n
He doesn’t behave like the average 17-year-old<\/p>\n
Raheem Sterling levelled with a beautifully struck 23rd-minute free-kick, but Newcastle skipper Jamaal Lascelles, whose error had led to that set-piece, made amends with a bullet header on the hour before Joelinton capitalised on a rare howler from Thiago Silva to thump home a third.<\/p>\n
Anthony Gordon completed the rout after full-back Reece James had been sent off for a second bookable offence, but Miley\u2019s contribution on a day when Howe was without 13 senior players and named three keepers on his bench was one of the major talking points.<\/p>\n
Asked if it was easy to forget he is only 17, the head coach replied: \u201cYes, I think we do because he\u2019s six-foot-two and he\u2019s a man, he looks a man in your presence, and also his maturity. He doesn\u2019t behave like the average 17-year-old.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut it\u2019s important we do remember how young he is and we look to protect him as well. It\u2019s my job to do that and educate him in the right way on and off the pitch.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe comes from a very good family who won\u2019t allow him to go over the top in any way. It\u2019s on to the next match for him and us.\u201d<\/p>\n
Pochettino was less than impressed with the way his young Chelsea team capitulated on Tyneside, accusing them of putting in a \u201csoft\u201d performance.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cAs a team, we need to show a different energy, a different capacity to compete. For me, that is the key.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe big teams perform every week, every three days, in this way. This is a thing that we need to settle in the team.\u201d<\/p>\n