Eddie Howe has his say on ex-Newcastle United striker Aleksandar Mitrovic

Aleksandar Mitrovic has already scored six Premier League goals this season – and Eddie Howe’s players have worked all week on stopping him.
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Mitrovic was sold to Fulham by then-Newcastle United manager Rafa Benitez four years ago. And the striker goes into this afternoon’s game full of confidence, having netted four times for Serbia during the international break to take his tally for club and country into double figures.

Howe and his squad have worked diligently on a plan to stop Mitrovic – and the supply to him.

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“He’s got very good strengths, obvious strengths,” said United’s head coach. “We have worked on, as we would every opposition, details, not just for our defenders, but for our team to try and stop him and stop the supply to him.

“You have your plans for every game. Sometimes they work better than others. We’ll be very well prepared.”

Fulham, promoted from the Championship last season, are sixth in the table with 11 point, three more than 10th-placed Newcastle, who have won just once so far this season.

And Howe was asked for his view on the early-success form of Marco Silva’s team.

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“Firstly, the centre-forward, Mitrovic, last year had an incredible season,” said Howe. “But he’s carried that into this (season), not just for his club, but for his country. I think if you have a striker in that form, with the potency he has at the moment, that’s a really good foundation for success.

“Then, off the back of that, they have a very good structure. I think Marco’s done a very, very good job.”