Newcastle United boss Chris Hughton has likened Andy Carroll to Tottenham striker Peter Crouch.

The 20-year-old has 19 goals this season and is leading scorer, one ahead of Kevin Nolan, despite missing games through injury.

Hughton says there is more to come from Carroll, who Sam Allardyce would love to take to Blackburn Rovers.

Hughton said: "He's a player that has a wonderful leap. He is a very good technical header of the ball. He's an old style centre-forward, going back to the 60s and 70s. He's a real classic striker in the old fashioned mould and he's only a young player with the ability to develop his game.

"It's a bit like Peter Crouch. He's probably four inches taller but they're similar - if the quality of the ball is good enough and the trajectory is right then it's just a question of whether he can get it on target.

"What he has proved is that when he gets the right delivery, he's a very good header of the ball.

"What we must remember is that he's developing his game on the ground. For a big man he does quite well but it is an area that he needs to continue to develop. When you get a player of his prowess in the air - and Shola Ameobi's too - then you need to get the ball into the right areas.

"We've always said to Andy we wanted to see him add more goals to his tally. We know he is still a young player and he is still developing."