One was North Shields-born Elliot Anderson. He began the campaign in the senior group, featuring in the first nine Premier League games as either a starter or substitute, but was sidelined when a stress fracture in his back kept him out of action for five months. He eventually returned to force his way back into Edde Howe’s plans in the final two months of the season.
The other was Stanley-born Lewis Miley. He was still in the Under-21s set-up at the start of the season, but found himself fast-tracked into the first team when injuries began to bite as the demands of competing in both the Premier League and Champions League took their toll. Despite being just 17, Miley made 16 starts in domestic and European competition over the course of less than five months before succumbing to a back problem of his own.
Two similar players; two very similar stories. But two very different subsequent journeys in the last season-and-a-half. Before the start of the 2024-25 campaign, Anderson had been sold, shipped off to Nottingham Forest as part of a desperate scramble to ensure Newcastle did not breach PSR rules. Now 22, Anderson has flourished at Forest, rapidly developing into one of the Premier Leagues best central midfielders and impressing with England to the extent that he increasingly looks like being a nailed-on starter at next summer’s World Cup.
Miley? A somewhat different story. Admittedly, the North-Easterner is still just 19, and unlike with Anderson, his back injury proved difficult to resolve, with a broken metatarsal last summer further restricting his playing time. Nevertheless, a total of just four senior starts in the whole of last season was a disappointing return for such a bright talent.
READ MORE:
Arne Slot's dig at Newcastle United - and public attack on the Magpies' handling of Alexander Isak
Eddie Howe's 'headscratcher' ahead of Fulham game - and lesson from Benfica win
That is the backdrop to Tuesday night, when Miley provided a thrilling reminder of just how bright a talent he is as he ran the midfield during Newcastle’s Champions League win over Benfica. Calm and assured in possession, Miley glided through the game, threading passes to those around him while also pressing aggressively when he did not have the ball. It was the type of performance Anderson has been delivering week in, week out since leaving Tyneside, which should not really have been a surprise. Back when the pair were breaking through together, Newcastle’s senior coaching staff always regarded Miley as the more exciting prospect.
“It was a top performance from Lewie,” said Howe, as he reflected on Tuesday’s Champions League display. “There’s so much that goes into him giving that performance.
“It’s the ability to absorb all the hype and pressure of the game and just deliver what he needed to. He’s got that unique ability, he had it from the very first time he played, just to be his normal self and not be fazed by anything.
“I thought it was an outstanding performance in a game where he was working in minimal space. It was quite tight in the middle of the pitch, but he was very intelligent. I thought he worked well with Bruno [Guimaraes] in particular, those two were combining quite well together. It was a great performance from Lewie.”
So, what happens next? Miley might still be a teenager, but this is his third season in senior football, so he needs regular game time to hone his talents. Back in the Champions League, and with a Carabao Cup fourth-round game against Tottenham coming up next week, Newcastle are in the midst of a hectic spell that should mean opportunities are available.
But while Howe left Sandro Tonali and Joelinton out of his side on Tuesday after both had looked exhausted in the wake of their international exploits, is that is a move he is willing to make on a more regular basis?
There is a train of thought that suggests Anderson only developed as quickly as he did because he left Newcastle to join a club that were willing to play him. Had he remained on Tyneside, he might well have spent most of last season on the bench. Will that be Miley’s fate this term? Or is Howe willing to be flexible enough to create an environment where the youngster can flourish?
“The big hope with Lewie is that he stays injury-free,” said the Magpies boss. “You’d probably say that for every player, but Lewie has had certain injuries and I think he needs game time. He needs to play to develop, I think that's clear for any young player.
“The big thing for me is he has to deserve that. I'm not just going to give it to him, he's got to actually deserve it, and I think nights like this [the Benfica game] will help him immensely to get more game time, to show that he’s on a level playing field with the other players.
“We’re dealing with Sandro, Joe, Bruno – to knock one of them out of the team is very, very difficult. We have good players in those positions and, hopefully, they’re all going to push each other for better performances.”
And whether Miley is starting or not, he finds himself with an opportunity to learn from some of the best central-midfielders in Europe on the training ground every day.
“He’s some great role models there to look at,” said Howe. “You've got different parts of each of the midfielders that we've just discussed and you'd go, 'I'd love to take a bit of that and take a bit of that and then put it into one player'.
“Lewie is capable of doing a little bit of everything. His composure, his presence on the pitch, for someone so young, that's very rare. I think he's got certain things to develop and add, but I think he's in a good place.”