Simon Cowell has revealed that One Direction's first album as a four-piece is likely to be their very best offering. 

Speaking to James Corden during a new interview on 'The Late Late Show', the music mogul admitted that he has every faith that the remaining members will make a chart-topping new record without Malik because the new material they've shared with him so far is great:

"I have a feeling they are going to deliver this year the best record they've ever made. I've heard some of the early stuff. So I'm feeling good."

Niall Horan, Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson and Liam Payne have been writing music in the woods with 'Story Of My Life' co-writer Jamie Scott, and earlier this week Payne tweeted:  "1st day writing the album it's gunna [sic] be a great day! Huge day of writing, so excited! The team never stops! Wonder what tomorrow's writing will bring?"

As previously reported, Cowell also admitted that he tried to talk Zayn Malik out of quitting the band but quickly became aware that it was a lost cause: "I was trying to say to him [Zayn] he should stay around a bit longer. But something inside him said he'd had enough."

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Watch Cowell talking about Malik's departure from 1D here: