Newcastle boss Steve Bruce says Ivan Toney will want to "prove people wrong" when he faces his former club in Tuesday's Carabao Cup quarter-final.
Toney, 24, signed for Newcastle from Northampton in 2015 but only made two Premier League appearances. He already has 16 goals this season for Brentford.
"You have to say 'well done' to the kid. He's done very well. He will be a threat," said Bruce.
"He's playing with that burning desire to do well and prove people wrong."
Brentford paid Peterborough around £5m for Toney in the summer and the prolific forward is closing in on 100 league goals in his career.