Get the latest NUFC transfer and takeover news straight to your inbox for FREE by signing up to our newsletter Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Has the fire gone out for Aleksandar Mitrovic?

At the start of the season, Rafa Benitez faced a clamour to include the forward – despite Dwight Gayle’s sizzling start to the season. Every press conference was bookmarked by a question about Mitrovic, and whether deploying him in tandem with Gayle was the way to go.

Now unleashed on the Championship and FA Cup, Newcastle United’s target man finds himself the subject of an altogether different set of questions.

A common theme of Mitrovic’s time at Newcastle has been finding himself at the centre of the story – whatever it is. Whether that’s ill discipline, a run of fine form or premature comparisons with Alan Shearer, he’s never been far from the headlines.

But Mitrovic has been on the periphery in the last two games. A missed penalty and a glaring miss against Oxford and Derby have silenced even some of his most vocal supporters. Passion plays will get you so far, but at some point he will need to deliver.

(Image: Newcastle Chronicle)

First, some context. On Saturday he was effective, even if he failed to hit the target from close range. An assist for the goal – a smart piece of hold up play – was one of 35 touches. He made four key passes, according to WhoScored – more than Daryl Murphy had made in his start against QPR. And he kept Derby’s defenders busy, combining well with Mo Diame.

It was better than he was against Oxford, when a penalty miss and several spurned opportunities saw him trudge over to the visiting fans to apologise at the end.

For all that the evidence is starting to weigh against the striker, Mitrovic remains a work-in-progress. He is learning his profession just as much as he is his game and behind-the-scenes it should be noted that Benitez is happier with him now than he was when he was scoring against Preston.

He came back from a nasty knee injury quickly, showing the desire that Benitez wants from his squad.

poll loading Would you keep Aleksandar Mitrovic next season? 500+ VOTES SO FAR YES NO

And some of the wilder, more emotional moments that captivated the crowd have been toned down. Benitez wanted to see him take more responsibility and play more selflessly: there is a feeling that he is starting to do that rather than swiping the headlines with daft stunts like trying to wrestle the ball off Matt Ritchie when the latter was the designated penalty taker.

For his part, Mitrovic’s defenders point out to the fact that he – like Andy Carroll – is rusty when he returns from injury. He needs a run of games to get back into things and the stop-start nature of Benitez’s rotation policy hasn’t helped him this year. But he’s getting used to it, and Benitez has promised him games between now and the end of the season.

His international form this season is proof that he has the smarts to play at the highest level. His goals in the Champions League may have been a while ago, but there is diamond there to be polished. As West Ham would testify with Carroll, the benefits of having a ‘big man’ shouldn’t be overlooked.

And it’s not over for Mitrovic.

With Dwight Gayle not yet assured of a return in time for Wolves, that might even come as soon as Saturday. He’ll certainly be involved against Norwich – a team that hate the sight of him after six goals in two games against them last season.

Although Benitez loves the balance Mo Diame and Gayle bring his side, he has been consistent about his need for a target man to offer variation to United’s attack. That’s why he looked at Rickie Lambert, and eventually opted for Daryl Murphy when other managers might have looked at alternative options.

Mitrovic may not be on fire, but we might still see some pyrotechnics between now and May.