Longstaff sidelined for rest of season with knee ligament injury

Newcastle midfielder Sean Longstaff is set to miss the rest of the season with a knee ligament injury, the club have revealed.

The 21-year-old was hurt in a challenge with Robert Snodgrass during last weekend’s defeat by West Ham and was substituted at half-time.

Academy graduate Longstaff has shone for the Magpies since breaking into the side at the start of 2019 and has been shortlisted for the Premier League’s player of the month award for February.

Speaking after the West Ham game, Rafael Benitez said in the Chronicle: “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.”

Longstaff made his first Premier League start against Chelsea on January 12 and has not looked back, starting the subsequent seven games and scoring goals against Burnley and Blackburn in the FA Cup.

He took advantage of injuries to Jonjo Shelvey, Mohamed Diame and Ki Sung-yueng to form an impressive partnership with Isaac Hayden but now must wait for another chance to impress once he regains full fitness.