"He’s talented enough to play in the Premier League" - Blackburn boss Tony Mowbray makes bold prediction for Brighton loanee

The 20-year-old ended Rovers' five-game goal drought by netting the winner in Saturday's 1-0 success over fellow Championship promotion contenders QPR.

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The German, who missed a penalty in the 1-0 defeat at Sheffield United on Wednesday, fired home a free kick with 13 minutes remaining to hand Rovers just their second win in eight matches.

The victory also saw Blackburn leapfrog QPR in the table. The Lancashire outfit sit fourth in the Championship, four points behind second-placed AFC Bournemouth although the Cherries have three games in hand.

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It looked like it was going to be another frustrating afternoon for Blackburn and Khadra before the Albion loanees' winner. The young gun missed a glorious chance in the first half, shooting at the feet of keeper Seny Dieng from 12 yards, as Rovers dominated the R's.

Mowbray said the German, who now has five goals for the season, needed to work on several areas of his game, including finishing, if he wanted to feature for the Seagulls.

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But the former Middlesbrough, Celtic and West Bromwich Albion boss couldn't hide his delight at the youngster's persistence in finding the winner.

Speaking to the Lancashire Telegraph, Mowbray said: “Can we sit here and criticise him for missing chances? Maybe, because if he wants to play in the Premier League for Brighton he has to take those chances

“But you sit there and watch him and think ‘I wouldn’t like to play against him, because he’s so quick, tricky and powerful and has a rocket in his right foot’.

“Yet chances came and chances were missed, and that’s a growth area for him.

“As a manager you don’t know a player until you work with them every day and they’re in your dressing room.

“Khadra is first and foremost a fantastic lad but has so much to learn out of possession.

“I’m not sure I can teach him how to dribble as fast as he does, but he has to learn about cutting off passing lines, when to jump on the man in possession, he’s learning all that with us.

“Hopefully he’ll go back to Brighton and they’ll see a much better player.

“He practices every day, the session finishes and he’s still out there working.

“He’s a kid on a journey and he’s talented enough to play in the Premier League and I’m delighted for him.

“Khadra stepped up and scored the goal, could have had a few more, but we’ll praise him for the positives rather than criticise him for the negatives.”

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