Premier League ace tips Jamal Lewis to join him in the big time

Norwich City left-back Jamal Lewis is being tipped to make a splash in the Premier League by his Northern Ireland team mate Jonny Evans.

The former Manchester United and Leicester City centre back is a huge fan of the 21-year-old, who was named in the Championship team-of-the-season earlier this week.

Lewis earned his eighth cap alongside Evans in a 2-1 Euro 2020 qualifying win over Belarus last weekend, and the experienced defender is confident he will not look out of place in the big time if Norwich seal promotion.

“I think everyone could see the potential when he first came in,” he said. “Athletically he can cover the ground, technically he is a good as well and he surprised me how well he has done.

“If you look at the season he has had with Norwich it looks like they are going to get promoted to the Premier League and that is another challenge for him.

“He seems like the type of character who can deal with that and who wants to push himself. He has got a lot of potential for the future.”

Michael O’Neill handed Lewis his international bow last season and the Northern Ireland chief insists the sky is the limit.

“He has taken to international football very, very easily,” said O’Neill, speaking to Northern Ireland’s official twitter feed. “When you have the attributes Jamal has - the running power, that pace as well. He is not only great going forward, he has been good defensively and he is learning all the time. He knows the areas of his game he has to work on.

“But Jamal has all the attributes to go right to the top of the game and we are delighted to have him. He has come at the right time for us because left back was a problem position.

“Chris Brunt did a great job for us filling in, which was not necessarily his natural position, but this is the right time for Jamal.”