Here's why Lewis Miley's right-back performances for Newcastle United are even crazier than you think
Lewis Miley has played as a central midfielder, right-back and centre-back for Newcastle United in recent weeks.
Lewis Miley has admitted he never even played as a right-back in training before being thrown into the Newcastle United deep end.
Injuries to Tino Livramento and Kieran Trippier forced Eddie Howe to get creative following the Tyne-Wear derby. Since then, Miley has starred in defence for the previous five Premier League fixtures.
This radical change has coincided with Newcastle rising up the table, with four straight wins across all competitions. Miley has earned his black-and-white stripes and, despite his tender age, is considered a fully fledged, reliable, first-team option for the Magpies.
‘I’d never played there’- Lewis Miley
Speaking to the club’s matchday programme, the 19-year-old astonishingly revealed his first time playing at right-back was against Fulham in the Carabao Cup. He said: “I’d never played there to be honest, even when I was younger, so it was completely different. But I got lots of help from the manager and the coaches too, which was good.
“Then I just started getting used to it more. Hopefully I can keep performing well. I think I was able to take it on quite quickly because we had a game the next day. I just tried to take it all on board and perform at my best. You're in a much more of a defensive position at right-back, even if you're a midfielder.
“At right-back, there are a lot more one v ones and you’re sprinting more. Midfield feels like more of a team game where you’ve got mates around you. It is a lot different, but it is great for me to be learning and playing in a different position.
“I didn’t do any training sessions at right-back, to be honest. I just got (put) straight into one of the games - it was Fulham in the Carabao Cup. I got told I was starting at right-back and just tried to take it in my stride.”
Eddie Howe on Lewis Miley
Miley also deputised at centre-back for the final stages of Newcastle’s win over Leeds United last week. On his ability to step up when called upon, Howe told reporters: "I still see his long-term position in midfield but we will use him wherever the team needs, as long as Lewis is comfortable with that and, at the minute, he is happy to play anywhere to help the team.
“He was outstanding going into centre-half the other day. We have trained him there a few times over the last couple of years so we knew he could do a job there. We sprung being a full-back on him and that was a positive surprise."