Friday 16 October 2015 13:14, UK
Former Newcastle defender Steve Howey is convinced striker Aleksandar Mitrovic will be a huge hit at Newcastle.
The Serb, a £13m summer signing from Anderlecht, made an eventful start to his career on Tyneside picking up yellow cards in his first two games before seeing red against Arsenal in his third.
A three-game ban followed but since his return Mitrovic, who insists he is now a calm man, has shown he has the attributes to trouble Premier League defences.
He scored his first goal for the club in the recent 6-1 defeat at Manchester City and Howey, who played almost 200 times during an 11-year career at St James' Park believes his stock will continue to rise.
Speaking to Sky Sports News HQ, he said: "I think he will be a hit... if he knuckles down.
"He's only a young boy. He's only 21, but you saw in the first half against Manchester City that he caused them all sort of problems.
"He's a big lad and is decent in the air so if they get the ball in the box enough times he will cause problems. Unfortunately this season the ball has not been coming into the box that much when he has played."
Mitrovic was booked just 22 seconds into his debut for a tackle on Southampton's Matt Targett, a week later he saw yellow for a wild challenge on Swansea's Neil Taylor and before the first month of the season was out he was dismissed for a stamp on Arsenal's Francis Coquelin.
But Howey believes the physical side of the 21-year-old's game will benefit the team - who currently prop up the Premier League after failing to register a win in eight matches - if displayed in a positive manner.
"You want that passion, that desire, but it has to be done in the right way," added the former England defender who admits he is less than impressed by £12.85m summer signing Florian Thauvin.
"For me at the moment... miss. It's a lot of money for him," he said.
"I watched Newcastle against West Ham. The first four times a camera went on him, he was messing with his hair. I'm thinking, 'why don't you just get on with the game and knuckle down? He just hasn't done it."
Both Mitrovic and Thauvin have been included in Newcastle United's provisional squad for their home game against Norwich on Sunday, which you can watch live on Sky Sports from 3.30pm.
