The talented teenager has earned Eddie Howe's trust this season. Photo: Getty Images/Stu Forster
Amid Newcastle United's injury-ravaged campaign, the emergence of a hometown savior in teenage midfielder Lewis Miley helped prevent a difficult situation from turning into a disaster.< /p
It was Miley's first goal that set Newcastle on course for a comfortable but much-needed win over Fulham. And it was exactly the kind of cool and effective strike, a sharp low shot into the bottom corner in front of the Gallowgate End, that you would expect from a 17-year-old who takes everything in stride.
Last year at this time, Miley was all I also trained with the youth team. He has now become Newcastle's youngest ever Premier League goalscorer and has barely celebrated.
It tells you everything about Miley's even temperament: he almost had to accept the approval of fans pushed to the side of the stands by Anthony Gordon after he was taken down by his teammates. The boy in a man's body did not go wild and did not lose his mind. There was no ostentatious “look at me”, no kissing or pointing to the badge. Just sliding your knees and clenching your fists twice.
In fact, he seemed more interested in getting back into position and resuming play. There's a reason manager Eddie Howe and his coaching staff aren't worried about him losing his way just because he's become an overnight sensation on Tyneside. On her current path, Miley will become a generational talent for club and country.
“I'm happy for him,” Howe said. “We've seen that composure with an assist against Chelsea and an assist against Milan, but to have that composure to score a big goal in front of the Gallowgate End is something else.
“We tried to rest him today because we need to protect him and look after him, but he was pushed back into action because of his injuries and it showed how mentally involved he is.
“What I like most about him is that he is emotionless on the field. He doesn't beat himself up when things go wrong and doesn't get carried away after he scores. That is the hallmark of a great player.”
After finishing bottom of their Champions League group in midweek and after three straight defeats in all competitions, this was a really good win for Newcastle. although it came at the cost of additional injuries: Fabian Schar and Joelinton were forced off the field before the break.
However, Newcastle dominated the game before a ludicrous challenge from Raul Jimenez reduced Fulham to ten men before the break. The Mexican was caught by Jamaal Lascelles' elbow a minute or so earlier, but there was really no excuse for the tackle, which initially looked like a karate kick to Sean Longstaff.
The ball had already gone when Jimenez turned in the air and slammed his thigh into the head of the Newcastle midfielder. Referee Sam Barrott initially showed a yellow card, but it seemed inevitable that VAR would intervene and the card was quickly changed to red.
Even Fulham manager Marco Silva protested half-heartedly after the game, declaring he had “no complaints” about the red card while criticizing the referee's “bizarre and poor performance”.
Fulham almost succeeded in the first half To contain Newcastle, the closest the home side came to a goal was Anthony Gordon's shot that hit the crossbar, but the floodgates opened after the break thanks to the magic of Bruno Guimarães.
The Brazilian took a poor pass from Tino Livramento and turned it in for the opener goal of the game, beating four Fulham defenders and setting Miley up for the finish.
It was the goal Newcastle needed to break Fulham's resistance. Miguel Almiron added a consolation with a second goal after Gordon played in Callum Wilson, who was brought down in the box by Tosin Adarabioyo. The ball fell perfectly, however, and the Paraguayan rolled away into an empty net.
Dan Byrne added a late third thanks to another great effort from Bruno, whose cross with the outside of his boot was perfection. .
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