A COUPLE of strikers feature in this week's North East Notes - and there's praise for Newcastle from Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca ahead of this afternoon's game at Stamford Bridge.

We'll start with Sunderland and man of the moment Wilson Isidor...

WILSON ISIDOR PUTS 'BAD' SPELL BEHIND HIM

Wilson Isidor took his Sunderland goal tally to four in six games with his stunning volley against Oxford yesterday.

Eliezer Mayenda's injury was a blow for the Black Cats but Isidor has taken his chance and made the striker spot his own in Regis Le Bris's side.

And his latest strike comes after his agent told this week of how glad he is to see the forward put his "bad" spell at Zenit St Petersburg behind him.

Though Dmitry Cheltsov did praise the Russian club for their quick response in sanctioning Isidor's Sunderland move when the striker made clear his desire for the switch in the summer.

Cheltsov said: “I know the man personally. We are constantly in touch. We communicate almost every day.

“Yes, the period at Zenit was bad. He scored few goals. But everyone knows that, and I am ready to kill myself for my players. And if someone does not understand this, then who cares!”

“[I like to work with clubs] who work quickly and accurately. Zenit worked quickly with Isidor [in the summer]. They responded to the player in two days [over the Sunderland move]. Other clubs can drag their feet for a long time."

Le Bris initially expected Isidor to feature more as a left sided attacker but as things stand the 24-year-old looks to be top of the striker pecking order, despite the arrival of Aaron Connolly and Mayenda's imminent return to action.

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COBURN BOOST

Middlesbrough striker Josh Coburn could be back in action for Millwall in the next week.

Coburn scored on his Millwall debut but then suffered a calf injury in his second outing for the Lions last month that Neil Harris thought would sideline the striker for up to eight weeks.

But he could be back within six after Harris revealed the 21-year-old returned to full training this week.

Harris will now decide whether Coburn should get a run-out for Millwall's Under-21s against Bournemouth next week and will closely monitor the striker ahead of next week's Championship game against Burnley.

He said: “Who’s available for next weekend? We’ll have to see nearer the time.”

MARESCA PRAISE

Newcastle head for Chelsea today having slipped into the bottom half of the Premier League table - not that Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca is paying any attention to the standings.

And he knows exactly what sort of test his side will face today.

“Newcastle are very clear: they are physically strong, they are very good," he said.

"They have been unlucky, especially in the last game against Brighton, but overall they have deserved more points and the way they work over the years together is quite clear.

"I really like Newcastle and probably this is the moment when teams can do something good when they are in a difficult moment.”

Meanwhile, Maresca has told Reece James he expects more personality from Chelsea’s captain as the head coach admitted his squad is without a natural leader.

James made his first appearance of the season in the 2-1 defeat to Liverpool last weekend following a lengthy injury lay-off and did not travel with the side that beat Panathinaikos in Athens on Thursday.

The last two campaigns have been blighted by knee and hamstring problems for the 24-year-old but he was nevertheless appointed club skipper by previous boss Mauricio Pochettino last August.

“I spoke with him and I expect from him more in terms of leadership inside the changing room,” said Maresca.

“He’s on the way, he’s doing well, he’s progressing but I expect more.

“Most of the time, a player thinks that because I am captain I expect that you give me more. No, for me because you are the captain you have to give more. You have to give more than the rest. Sometimes, I am the captain I can give less? No, no, no.

“I expect it from Reece and his team-mates expect it from him to give always more in terms of leadership.”