Newcastle United: 5 Young Players Key to Premier League Turnaround
Newcastle United have turned their season around in remarkable fashion, and manager Alan Pardew has a core of hungry young players to thank for it.
Sunday's 2-0 victory away to West Bromwich Albion, capped by a goal-of-the-month contender from 21-year-old striker Ayoze Perez, saw the Toon extend their winning league run to four games, leaving the side in eighth position in the Premier League.
Pardew was effusive in praising his young players after the game, telling reporters (h/t BBC Sport) that "the young players did well today and I've been really buoyed by them in particular."
The manager continued by claiming that "they have given us an excitement we haven't had since the likes of Yohan Cabaye and Loic Remy left."
Here are the five young players central to Newcastle's growing success in the Premier League.
Mehdi Abeid, 22
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It is hard to believe that, prior to this season, Algerian midfielder Mehdi Abeid had made just nine appearances for Newcastle—none of which came in the Premier League, according to BBC Sport.
After loan spells with St. Johnstone and Panathinaikos, Abeid made his league debut for the Toon in the side's 1-0 victory over Liverpool at the beginning of November, and he has already made himself a key feature in the Newcastle midfield.
A bullish, dominant display, thwarting the likes of Steven Gerrard and Philippe Coutinho in that game led to a second successive league start against West Bromwich Albion.
Most endearing is Abeid's grounded attitude, telling BBC Newcastle that "It's not finished, I have to learn every day."
Continue his tuition, and Abeid can challenge the currently injured Cheick Tiote for a long-term first-team place.
Ayoze Perez, 21
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Newcastle's rising star striker Perez continued his run of hot form with a magnificent flicked finish to set the Toon on their way to victory over West Brom, and the Spaniard is beginning to erase any lingering disdain for the club's failure to sign Remy in the summer.
That goal, the 21-year-old's third in as many games, was described by Pardew as "worthy of winning any game," per BBC Sport, making the £1.5 million spent on him this summer look a true bargain.
Pardew continued to analyse Perez's role, however, by claiming "it's difficult to play him up front on his own."
On this run of form, there is no reason to suggest the Spaniard won't already have made this role his own before injured first-choice forward Papiss Cisse returns to fitness.
Rolando Aarons, 18
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Young midfielder Rolando Aarons was included in England U20s coach Aidy Boothroyd's latest squad for the side's upcoming games against Canada and Portugal, marking the growing quality the 18-year-old has shown in a Newcastle shirt.
Although Aarons has made just three substitute appearances so far in the Premier League, the Englishman's well-taken goal to level things late-on in Newcastle's eventual 3-3 draw at home to Crystal Palace underlines his growing potential.
Keith Gillespie, former Newcastle man and the club's specialist winger coach, recently told the Newcastle Chronicle of his belief in the youngster.
Gillespie feels "if [Aarons] does keep listening and learning he goes on to be a really great player," and among Newcastle's inspiring youthful resurgence, there's no reason to argue with that.
Paul Dummett, 23
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The oldest player on our list, and the most experienced, is versatile defender Paul Dummett. At just 23 years old, the Welshman is putting his Newcastle elders to shame.
Having made 18 appearances for the Toon last season, per WhoScored.com, including two headline-grabbing performances against the then-resplendent Liverpool, Dummett has become a mainstay in Pardew's defence during 2014/15.
Although Dummett has mainly deputised for the absent Davide Santon at left-back this season, Pardew believes the defender's natural position is at centre-back.
The manager told the Shields Gazette that "He’s kind of Steven Taylor-ish, but he has just got a really good mentality for the game."
A promising performance alongside Fabricio Coloccini, in lieu of Taylor, against West Brom showed Dummett may be even more important in the near future than he already is.
Sammy Ameobi, 22
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Previously dwelling in the shadow of brother and Newcastle luminary Shola, Sammy Ameobi is finally grasping his opportunity in Pardew's first team with a string of spellbinding performances as part of the side's forward line.
After making an assist from the bench in the side's 2-2 draw away to Swansea City, Ameobi scored a brilliant goal seconds after his half-time introduction at Tottenham Hotspur's White Hart Lane.
According to Simon Bird at the Mirror, Ameobi is keen to seize his chance at Newcastle, claiming "It's one thing being told you have all this talent, but I'm at an age when I have to produce it. I'm a grown man and it's not about potential anymore."
Making his first Premier League start with a muted performance against Liverpool at St. James' Park, Ameobi kept his place for the victory over West Brom and shone, hitting the bar with a fine curled effort.
Not a kid anymore, and no longer just Shola's younger brother, Ameobi seems ready to flourish at Newcastle.
And the Rest
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Wait, there's more?
Pardew finished his appraisal of his side's victory at the Hawthorns by professing that he had an unusual dream of one of his yet-to-be-seen young players making a decisive contribution.
As per the BBC, the manager claimed that "as a manager, you have visions of what is going to happen on the day and I thought I was going to put on Adam Armstrong to get the winner."
Pardew continued: "No-one has seen this guy yet and we've got some nice little surprises to come."
With players such as Armstrong and Adam Campbell, along with Nottingham Forest loan duo Karl Darlow and Jamaal Lascelles ready to make their mark at St. James' Park, there is a bright, youthful future for Pardew on Tyneside.
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