Newcastle United captain Jamaal Lascelles has revealed just how impressive 17-year-old Lewis Miley was during pre-season.
Miley has unexpectedly played a huge role in Newcastle’s season so far but the teenager is yet to really look out of place in any game.
Ahead of Newcastle’s trip to Tottenham, Lascelles spoke to NUFCTV about what it is that has most impressed him about Miley who has now started five games in a row.
Lascelles claims Miley was ‘our best player’ in pre-season
There was a lot of talk around Miley in the summer who had definitely impressed during pre-season, though it was usually regarding a possible loan move to give him some experience.
However, Eddie Howe was adamant that he wanted to keep the midfielder in and around the first-team squad as he felt it more beneficial for him to learn from his star players.
Few, including Lascelles, expected Miley to be getting this many first-team minutes at this stage of his career, but the pressure doesn’t look to have phased the Newcastle man whatsoever so far.
As a 17-year-old just starting you’re footballing career, you don’t get many bigger games than playing against Chelsea, PSG and then Man United, and to come out with three huge results is even more remarkable.
In his interview with NUFCTV, Lascelles said: “He’s been thrown in the deep end. He’s under the spotlight, probably played in the three biggest games that we’ve played.
“For me it started in pre-season, we went to America and he was probably our best player. Good on the ball, good height and a good athlete, and he’s a great lad.
“He wants to learn, he wants to listen and he’s got a bright future. I think he’s dealing with these games really well. He’s got good people around him to support him.”
Miley starred on Thursday despite Everton defeat
There was a lot to be disappointed or annoyed at after Thursday’s 3-0 defeat to Everton, but Miley’s performance was certainly not one of them.
Especially in the first half, Miley was Newcastle’s best player – calm under pressure, winning the ball back and starting up attacks from midfield, showing every quality that Lascelles had discussed.
The emergence of the teenager has been the one positive that has come out of this injury crisis, though Howe will be keen to get all of his players back as soon as possible.
For now, it looks like Howe will again have to rely on Miley in the midfield as Newcastle travel down to face Tottenham this afternoon, though Sean Longstaff’s return may not be too far away.
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