Lewis Miley defying his tender years to boss Newcastle's midfield

 

 

When Newcastle were drawn alongside PSG in Group F back in September, the expectation was that just the one 17-year-old midfielder would take to the field when the pair locked horns at the Parc des Princes last month. That was the case in the 1-1 draw but it wasn't the rising teenage star many had expected. Warren Zaire-Emery missed the stalemate owing to injury sustained on his France debut in the November international break. 

 

Zaire-Emery's absence certainly aided Newcastle's cause, particularly as the Magpies remain engulfed in an injury crisis. Eddie Howe was without Sean Longstaff, Joe Willock and Elliot Anderson due to their respective injuries in France, while Sandro Tonali won't play again until next season due to a ban. Circumstance, then, presented young Lewis Miley with the chance to make his full Champions League debut against the Parisian powerhouse. Up against Fabian Ruiz, Manuel Ugarte and Lee Kang-In, Miley rose to the occasion. 

 

With their backs against the wall, Newcastle held out to secure a result, and it wasn't until the 97th minute that Kylian Mbappe drew PSG level having netted a contentiously-awarded penalty. Miley was key in holding out for a point that does keep Newcastle's very slim Champions League hopes alive. Indeed, he amounted six clearances, two interceptions and three blocked shots as PSG huffed and puffed yet struggled to find the breakthrough. 

 

It's certainly a far cry from a year or so previous where Miley won the Jack Hixon Award for most promising youngster at the club. Evidently Miley had a big future in the game. Few could have foreseen the midfielder being thrust into regular senior action, though fewer still could have predicted Newcastle's ongoing absentee crisis. What's key about the youngster's rise to first team regular is that the player himself doesn't look out of his depth. 


 

 

Throwing a youngster in at the deep end to see if they sink or swim is a risk but Howe's hand was forced. To say Miley swam would be an understatement. Given an expected start in the Carabao Cup as an experimental Newcastle side beat Manchester City 1-0 at St. James' Park in September, Miley was expected to garner further minutes, only to be laid low with glandular fever. 

 

Upon his return, Newcastle were desperate for additional bodies in midfield and Miley stepped up to forge a solid trio alongside Joelinton and Bruno Guimaraes. Crucially is that Miley isn't fazed by the expectations that come from playing for a team of Newcastle's stature in the most-watched league in the world. Rather, the player has taken on the responsibility required to operate in the Magpies' midfield trio. A return of 40.2 passes per 90 matches that of Joelinton and shows that desire to help keep play ticking over in a key area of the pitch. 

 

A success rate of 88.2% is third to Sven Botman (92.2%) and Tino Livramento (90.3%) of all Newcastle players, the duo boasting ample top-flight experience by comparison to Miley, who has just five senior starts to his name. Even under pressure, Miley remains composed to frequently pick out a teammate and this allows Newcastle to dominate opponents, all the while easing pressure on his side's goal. With the added vision to pry apart a defence, as evidenced by his assist for Alexander Isak's opener in the Magpies' 4-1 win over Chelsea a couple of weeks ago, Miley clearly knows when to pick a pass. 

 

In addition, the player's reading of the game belies his tender years. A player Miley's age may well rush to rob opponents of possession but the midfielder instead remains levelheaded off the ball to cut the passing lanes in a key area of the pitch. Indeed, only Livramento (2) is making more interceptions per 90 than Miley (1.5) of all Newcastle players, reinforcing the calm head on his young shoulders. 

 

"Doesn’t look 17, doesn’t act 17 and doesn’t play 17," Howe said of Miley after the resounding Chelsea win and it was meant as a compliment for the English teen who has burst onto the scene and played with the self-assurance of a seasoned pro. With the injuries continuing to mount up at St. James' Park, Howe has turned to the Newcastle academy to ease the burden on the limited senior players at his disposal. To the uninitiated, you'd be mistaken for thinking Miley is part of the latter group.

Lewis Miley defying his tender years to boss Newcastle's midfield