Newcastle United midfielder Sean Longstaff sustained a knee ligament injury during the match against West Ham United at the London Stadium last weekend. In a recent interview (mentioned by Chronicle Live) following the Magpies’ 2-0 loss against the Hammers, Rafael Benitez provided an update on the English talent and said,
“We will see.
“I think he has an injury but we have to assess him in the next couple of days.
“I think for anyone to have an injury is bad news. But for a young player who was doing so well, it’s even worse.
“But hopefully it will be fine.”
Even though Benitez didn’t reveal too much about the extent of Longstaff’s knee injury, it seems like the English midfielder could be out for a significant period. The 21-year-old won’t be available for the England Under-21 side later this month. Hopefully, more news would be revealed over the coming days, but the real concern remains that it’s a ligament injury so if he is rushed back then it could harm his career in the long-run.
Longstaff came through the youth ranks of Newcastle United before having loan spells at clubs such as Kilmarnock and Blackpool. He finally managed to break into Benitez’s first-team earlier this season. The English prospect has featured in 26 matches for the Magpies this term, scoring three goals while grabbing six assists in all competitions.
At such a young age, he has shown tremendous maturity with his performances in midfield which has helped the Magpies steer clear of the relegation zone for now. His recent injury will come as a big blow for anyone associated with Newcastle United.
Benitez will now have to come up with an ideal replacement, but it won’t be an easy job, such has been the incredible form of Longstaff. Maybe this would serve as a perfect opportunity for someone like Jonjo Shelvey, who have been starved of first-team football of late, to come in and do a decent job at the centre of the park. As for Longstaff, he needs to work hard and come back stronger than ever so that he can slot straight back into the Magpies midfield almost immediately upon his return.
