Newcastle outcast Aleksandar Mitrovic scored his first goal in six months to finally get off the mark for loan club in the 1-1 draw with Bristol City.
Mitrovic’s last competitive goal came in August when he came off the bench to bag the final goal in a 3-0 rout against West Ham at St James’ Park – the same match in which he deliberately elbowed Manuel Lanzini and incurred a retrospective three-match ban that effectively eroded what little trust Rafa Benitez already had in him.
But relief came in the 14th minute at Ashton Gate on Wednesday night as the Serbia international was on hand to poke into an empty net from Cyrus Christie’s cross to register his maiden goal for the Cottagers following a deadline day loan switch to west London.
And new boss Slavisa Jokanovic, a fellow Serb, was delighted with Mitrovic’s contribution despite the 23-year-old spending much of the season on the sidelines.
“Mitrovic needs time on the pitch, but I am very pleased with what I have seen of him so far,” Jokanovic told the Shields Gazzette.
“He offers us something different and will contribute even more in time.”
Despite an impressive start to his loan spell at Craven Cottage, it’s expected that Mitrovic will be put up for sale again by Rafa Benitez in the summer after failed attempts to finalise permanent departure in January.
