Leeds United rocked by major injury blow as key man ruled-out of Newcastle United clash
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Newcastle United latest news: Leeds United have been rocked by an injury blow that means they will be without one of their key players when they face Eddie Howe’s side next weekend.
Leeds United will be without captain Ethan Ampadu for their clash against Arsenal on Saturday, with Daniel Farke revealing that the Welsh international will also miss their clash against Newcastle United next weekend. Leeds began their Premier League campaign with a 1-0 win over Everton on Monday night and head to north London to face the Gunners on Saturday (5:30pm kick-off).
They will then return to Elland Road a week later for another 5:30pm kick-off, this time against Eddie Howe’s Newcastle United. Howe’s side, of course, face Liverpool at St James’ Park on Monday night in their next league outing.
Having already navigated a trip to Villa Park on the opening day of the season, the Premier League fixture schedule has not been too kind for the Magpies who know they will have to be at their best on Monday and then again in west Yorkshire if they want to stack up their points before the first international break of the season.
Leeds United injury news - key man to miss Arsenal & Newcastle United matches
Ampadu’s injury, though, is a huge blow for Farke’s side who will have to adapt to life without their captain over the next two weeks at least. On the midfielder, Farke said: “Bad news with him, sadly. The next games we have to play without him.
“MCL injury, he will definitely be out until at least the international break. I hope to have him back the other side of the international break.
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“He's pretty quick after injury back on the training pitch. He’s a tough boy. It's a blow for us, we will miss him in the upcoming games at least and the two upcoming Premier League games and the cup game.
“He has proved, not just in the last game but also in the last game when he was really, I think, exceptional. It’s not ideal. He’s our captain, not just in performance, but also in the dressing room and from his whole appearance and his body language, he’s a very important player. It's not ideal that he’s out after this tackle, but it’s football sometimes, there's an injury and you have to find other solutions.”
Ampadu’s absence could hand former Magpies man Sean Longstaff a chance to impress for his new side. Longstaff had to remain patient to make his first competitive appearance for Leeds, coming on as a late substitute on Monday night to help his side preserve their slender lead.
Longstaff moved to Elland Road from St James’ Park for £12m earlier this summer having entered the final year of his contract with his boyhood club. Although the 27-year-old had slipped down the pecking order on Tyneside, he remained a big character in the dressing room and was someone the Magpies had to replace.
They did that with the signing of Jacob Ramsey from Aston Villa. Ramsey had been admired for some time by those in the north east and eventually put pen to paper to sign a long-term deal with the club. Newcastle United will pay Villa an initial £39m for the midfielder with a potential £4m in add-ons.