Newcastle's Tiote hopes to follow in Essien's footsteps

The 24-year-old has had an impressive start to life in the English Premier League with newcomers Newcastle United.

Tiote has been compared to fellow midfielder Essien who plays for Chelsea, and it's a comparison he is keen to live up to.

"Obviously I'm only young but to be compared to Essien is quite a compliment," he told the club's official website, http://www.nufc.co.uk/.