James Milner is backing Aston Villa's rising young star Nathan Delfouneso to keep his feet on the ground after making a successful start to his first-team career.
Milner is more qualified than most to speak about what is required after the publicity surrounding him when he was a 16-year-old with Leeds. He became the youngest goalscorer in the Premier League and often found himself in the spotlight before making the move to Newcastle and subsequently Villa.
Birmingham-born Delfouneso is only 17 and showed his potential with a volleyed goal for Villa during Thursday's UEFA Cup clash with MSK Zilina in what was his full debut.
Now he is in contention to play some part in Sunday's league clash with Everton at Goodison Park.
Milner said: "When you do well so early, it is tough. You see what happens when young players do well early on. They get thrust into the limelight and there can be a lot of pressure sometimes.
"You need to make sure you deal with it in the right way, have the right people around you. It is how you are brought up. I was lucky. My mum and dad looked after me and brought me up the right way.
"Wayne Rooney also came through at a similar time to me. If he hadn't have come through, there might have been a bit more pressure and a bit more limelight on me.
"Nathan will have the players, the staff, his friends and family. He is a down-to-earth lad and I am sure he won't let his good start go to his head.
"He will get his head down and want more and more and want to be involved more and improve. He is a quality player."
Milner added: "He has shown what he is about in training and in bits and bobs when he has come on. He is definitely one for the future and there won't be too many better clubs for him to be at at this moment in time.
"Nathan is training with us 90% of the time and travels with us but he still does his jobs around the training ground, cleaning the boots and stuff like that, which is important and shows he has got his head screwed on and he knows what it is all about.
"He is working hard and showing how much he wants it."
Milner insists Villa have the strength in depth to sustain their challenge for honours despite losing at home to MSK after making eight changes. He said: "I think we have got strength in depth. The manager has changed the side for every other game in the UEFA Cup as well so far and used his squad.
"It is a young squad but it is a good squad and there is a lot of talent in there. On this occasion we didn't put in the performance we should have done."
Villa are hoping winger Ashley Young can recover from a calf injury in time to face Everton. Young came in for rough treatment against Zilina and was limping heavily towards the end.
Central defender Curtis Davies is set to return, after not being risked against the Slovaks with a slight ankle injury suffered in training, along with midfielder Steve Sidwell whose wife recently gave birth.
But striker John Carew is still ruled out with a back injury which means Delfouneso could be involved at some stage.
