Aleksandar Mitrović is leading Fulham's promotion charge but will struggling Newcastle rue letting the explosive striker leave?

Intricate destruction. Fulham went about their business with aplomb on Tuesday night, beating play-off contenders Sheffield United 3-0 at Craven Cottage, with a combination of beauty and beast.

Leading the rampage was on-loan Newcastle forward Aleksandar Mitrović, who scored twice and should have added a third, having joined Slavisa Jokanovic’s Fulham in the dying embers of the January transfer window.

The Cottagers’ now well-known propensity for attacking, aesthetically-pleasing football was complemented by the addition of an ostensible brute up front. A ‘target man’, if you will.

And increasingly, Jokanovic’s astute acquisition of his 23-year-old compatriot seems to be proving the pivotal difference between the Cottagers and their promotion rivals.

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Aston Villa came to west London and were felled. High-flying Wolves were dominated. United joined Derby County in being played into submission.

The Cottagers began a streak of six consecutive Championship matches against the top eight sides on February 17. They now have four wins and a draw, with a trip to Preston on Saturday to come.

Mitrović’s aggression and explosive play has been crucial to this run of form. It helps, of course, that Fulham were on a seven-match unbeaten streak in the league when he signed up.

But the additional, intangible element he brings to a side already brimming with quality footballers has played out like bringing a gun to a knife fight.

His double strike against United took his tally to five in his last four games for Fulham, and there should be plenty more come season’s end for the Serbia international.

All of which will leave a considerable amount of head-scratching at St James’ Park among the Newcastle hierarchy. Why did they let him leave?

A team which lies just two points off the relegation zone in the Premier League has the fifth-fewest goals scored in the division.

Shock victory against Manchester United was offset by frustrating draws to fellow strugglers Bournemouth and Crystal Palace.

Before that, you have to look back as far as January 1 for another league victory – away at Stoke.

Did Mitrović just not fit into Rafa Benitez’s plans at Newcastle? His season has been hampered by injuries and personal issues – his partner having a child – but early season form looked promising for the striker, before a horrid run in October through til the end of the year reaped no goals.

He bagged 11 goals in 35 appearances across all competitions last season – five of which were for Serbia, six for Newcastle.

And having departed the North East, he is on course to smash his club record in a few short months at Fulham.

Perhaps marginalised at St James’ Park, his burgeoning array of talents are on show at Craven Cottage and he has almost single-handedly transformed them into infallible challengers.

Strong enough to occupy an entire backline, Mitrović’s presence alone frees up other players – a certain Ryan Sessegnon just one of the beneficiaries of this.

But it’s not just an atmosphere of terror which he brings, his vision to bring team-mates into play is on point, as the Blades will attest to.

His efforts against Sheffield United essentially showcased the full Mitrović package. He proved an absolute menace from both offensive and defensive set-pieces and was later substituted after picking up a yellow card for a petulant shove.

But that fire in Mitrović seems to be pushing him to the next level. He is evidently enjoying a new lease of life at Fulham and responding to be the encouragement Jokanovic affords him.

He could well be playing in the top flight next season – but whether Newcastle can survive in the top flight remains to be seen.

And if the Toon do plunge once more into the depths of the Championship mire, perhaps they will be wondering what might have been had they kept faith in him.