'A real talent': The gifted Newcastle United teenager who has ‘survived’ Eddie Howe’s brutal training drills

There was a fresh face on Newcastle United’s bench for the Brighton and Hove Albion game.

And it is a face the third-placed club’s fans could be seeing a lot more of in the coming seasons.

Lewis Miley was an unused substitute for the 4-1 win over Roberto De Zerbi’s side at St James’ Park.

Miley – who turned professional on his 17th birthday this month – has regularly trained with Eddie Howe’s first-team squad this season.

Crucially, Miley has not looked out of place training with the club’s senior players, many of whom are internationals.

And the Gateshead-born player could be involved in Monday night's final home game against Leicester City.

“Lewy’s a real talent,” said Howe. “Now he’s been training with the team, I wouldn’t necessarily say consistently all season, but (for) the majority, I’d say he’s been with us.

“The biggest compliment I can give him is that he hasn’t looked out of place. He’s looked like part of the group.

“For someone so young, technically, to survive within the group is no mean feat. Some of the drills we do are very difficult. He’s survived in those drills, and that’s a big thing.

“So I would have no question marks about putting him in. Whether he’s ready or not, that will come down to how he performs.”

Miley – who featured in the mid-season friendlies against Al-Hilal and Rayo Vallecano, but is yet to make his competitive senor debut – was this week withdrawn from the England squad for this month’s European Under-17 Championship in Hungary by Howe because of injuries to midfielders on Tyneside.

Asked about the decision to pull Miley out of the squad, United’s head coach said: "Yeah, definitely really tough, because part of me definitely wanted Lewis to go away and represent his country.

“That would had been a great experience for him. But then you have to take the viewpoint that I felt his club needed him here.

“We have a very, very small squad currently, a lot of injuries building up with the end of season and what the players have given. So he's got an important part to play.”

Miley's elder brother Jamie, 19, is also at a player at Newcastle.