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Chris Knight

'Probably his idol' - Aleksandar Mitrovic's cheeky swipe at former Newcastle team-mate Ivan Toney

Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic claims he is Ivan Toney's 'idol' after his former Newcastle United team-mate copied his goal celebration. The Brentford frontman mimicked the Serbian international's celebration during the Bees' 3-2 defeat at Craven Cottage on Saturday, rotating his fingers around his ear.

Toney equalised for the visitors after the hosts raced into an early two-goal lead. However, it was Mitrovic who had the last laugh when he netted the winner, rising highest to power home a header in stoppage time.

The former Newcastle strikers spent three years as team-mates on Tyneside after both signing in 2015. Mitrovic scored nine Premier League goals in his debut season in black-and-white, but fell out of favour under Rafa Benitez before being allowed to join the Cottagers.

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Toney made just four senior appearances for the Magpies, but has worked his way back up to the Premier League with Brentford after a prolific spell at Peterborough United. The 26-year-old striker set the record for most goals in a Championship season in the Bees' promotion campaign, only for Mitrovic to shatter it a year later with a remarkable haul of 43 strikes.

Rather than be angered by Toney's decision to copy his celebration, Mitrovic decided to take it as a compliment with a cheeky response. He told reporters post-match: "Everybody has idols. He used to play with me in Newcastle and he was my boy. My idol was [Alan] Shearer and I am probably his idol."

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