The Serbian star is available to feature for Newcastle United against Cheltenham Town this week.
Newcastle’s Aleksandar Mitrovic celebrates scoring
Newcastle United’s Aleksandar Mitrovic has paid credit to Magpies manager Rafa Benitez, as the striker prepares to return from his four-game suspension for his first appearance of the city, in comments appearing in the Chronicle.
The 21-year-old scored four goals in ten games after Benitez joined in March, nearly half of his goal tally for the season, and will be looking to get the tenth goal of his Magpies career in the club’s League Cup match against Cheltenham Town on Tuesday.
“Rafa coming in has had a big impact on me,” the attacker told the Chronicle.
“Not just me, on every player. We know we can learn a lot. He’s had a big impact and we try to listen to him.
Newcastle manager Rafael Benitez celebrates with Aleksandar Mitrovic
“He knows how to win titles and cups and we have the best manager we could hope for.”
Mitrovic was having a fine game against Tottenham on the last day of the season before his dismissal – an action which saw him miss the first four matches of the new season on account of another red card he received earlier in the season against Arsenal.
The Magpies have had a mixed beginning to life in the Championship. Overwhelming favourites for many pundits and supporters, Benitez will have been hugely disappointed to lose both home and away in the first two matches, especially after the club’s excellent form in the final few matches of their Premier League season in the previous campaign.
Newcastle United manager Rafael Benitez
But things have improved after securing successive victories, first against Reading and then away to Bristol City, and Newcastle are now just outside the playoffs in this embryonic Championship table.
Mitrovic’s return will certainly add firepower to Rafa Benitez’s squad, with an emphasis on brawling determination and physicality that should see him complement the pace of Dwight Gayle and Ayoze Perez, and shine in his own right in the division.
Newcastle United’s Dwight Gayle in action with Bristol City’s Mark Little
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