NEWCASTLE legend Andy Cole says Anthony Elanga is putting the “nonsense” talk of him being a flop behind him.
The Swedish winger, 24, was a huge disappointment last term after Eddie Howe forked out £55m to Nottingham Forest to make him the club’s third most-expensive signing.
A return of no goals and a single assist in the Premier League failed to impress the Toon Army and piled even more pressure on Howe as the Mags slumped to a 12th place finish.
Elanga, however, has made a blistering start under new boss Matthias Jaissle with goals in the German’s first two top-flight matches.
He missed out on becoming the first Newcastle player since Cole in 1993 to score in the opening three Prem games of the season in last week’s 2-2 draw with Bournemouth.
But Cole, who bagged 68 times in 84 games wearing Black and White, told the reborn star to just “keep his head” as he looks to return to the goal trail at Elland Road on Monday.
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Speaking exclusively to Sun Sport via Unibet Casino, the former striker said: “Anthony is a very good player. It was a big move last season from Nottingham Forest to Newcastle.
“He’ll be honest himself and most probably say it didn’t go the way he would have wanted it to go. But he’s hit the ground running this season, which is the most important thing.
“He’s just got to keep his head down, keep performing, and then all the nonsense that was spoken about him last season, everyone will be telling him how good he is and slapping him on the back. That’s football.”
Cole scored for Newcastle home and away against Leeds in an epic 1993/94 campaign that produced 41 goals for the hitman. And his strike to earn a point in a 1-1 draw at Elland Road in April was critical to helping Kevin Keegan’s side achieve a third-placed finish.
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That ended a 17-year wait for European football on Tyneside. And after an unbeaten start under Jaissle, Cole is not ruling out him leading the Mags back into the Champions League contention.
He added: “Anything is possible. Who thought Leicester were going to win the Premier League when they won it? No one!
“That’s why everyone loves football, because you never know what to expect. So they’ve started well. Yeah, it was tough for them at the back end of last season, then a tough start, and they’ve lost quite a few players.
“But in saying that, they’ve got results which no one expected them to get, and ultimately that’s football. It’s all about getting results.”