ALAN PARDEW is confident Adam Armstrong will be a “great talent” for Newcastle United, but has challenged the 17-year-old to match Wednesday’s standards whenever he lines up in a first-team shirt.

Armstrong made his first senior start as Newcastle edged out Crystal Palace to reach the fourth round of the Capital One Cup at Selhurst Park, and caught the eye repeatedly as he played in the hole behind lone striker Emmanuel Riviere.

He helped set up Riviere’s first goal with a neat ball into the French striker, and delivered the extra-time cross that enabled Paul Dummett to head home a close-range winner.

He is expected to return to the substitutes’ bench when Newcastle travel to Stoke City on Monday, although it cannot be long before he forces his way into the Premier League line-up if the Magpies continue to struggle at the foot of the table.

Pardew is excited at the prospect of the teenager becoming a more regular presence in the senior squad, but has warned him not to rest on his laurels after this week’s performance showcased his potential.

“We hope he’s going to be a great talent for the club,” said the Newcastle boss. “He loves the football team and that shows.

“He’s highly rated by England at under-18 level, and we see enough in training to know the potential of this player.

“I’ve seen it before with (Jonjo) Shelvey, who I had at Charlton, Mark Noble and (Alex Oxlade) Chamberlain, who I all put in at 17. I put him in that category, but he’s got to do what they did. They all progressed - and he still needs to.”

Armstrong’s development-team exploits have marked him out as a prolific goalscorer, and he celebrated his England under-18s debut with two goals against Holland earlier this month.

Based in West Denton, in Newcastle’s West End, the teenager, who joined the Magpies’ academy as a nine-year-old, scored in every round of the club’s FA Youth Cup progress last season, with his small, squat physique making him a handful in the penalty area.

However, Wednesday night’s display against Palace highlighted his abilities in a more creative, attacking-midfield role, and if Pardew continues to field a 4-2-3-1 formation, Armstrong could play as either the lead centre-forward or the ‘number ten’.

“I think he’s a player that can play in either of those two roles,” said Pardew. “He can play at the top of the pitch and he can build the play because his touch is fantastic.

“If we were in a situation where we’re one-on-one (with the goalkeeper) and it was anyone at the football club, I’d like it to be him. That’s how confident I am in his finishing.

“He’s now got to get that game mentality, and he will have learned a lot on Wednesday. For the first five minutes, I’d have given him zero out of ten because he was a bit nervous. Then he did one little bit of magic, that gave him the confidence, and he was terrific after that.”

Armstrong was not the only attacking player to impress on Wednesday as after six games without a goal, Emmanuel Riviere finally broke his duck following a £6.5m summer move from Monaco.

The Frenchman curled home a fantastic long-range strike to haul Newcastle level before the break, and coolly chipped home a second-half penalty to double his tally.

The brace could hardly have been timelier given Papiss Cisse’s sudden return to form on Saturday, and Riviere is hoping it sparks a sustained run of success in front of goal.

“I am happy to get my first two goals,” said the striker. “It is good for my confidence, and good for the team.

“I didn’t worry about not scoring before because, in training, I have been playing well but the goals just weren’t coming. But I kept believing in myself. I know what I can do, I worked hard and stayed calm.

“I was waiting for the first goal to come, and now it is here, I know that more will come. I want to play the next game and keep going like this.”