What games Sean Longstaff will miss as Daniel Farke confirms crushing Leeds injury blow
Sean Longstaff’s calf injury could see him miss the entirety of the festive schedule for Leeds.
Daniel Farke confirmed on Thursday that Longstaff would not only be unavailable for the Manchester City match on Saturday, but for the next four to six weeks.
Longstaff joined Leeds for £12million plus add-ons from Newcastle in the summer transfer window and has excelled when called upon.
The Peacocks have lost six of their last seven matches in the top flight, and the injury news comes ahead of a period where the Peacocks will be playing matches every three days.
Leeds face Man City at the Etihad with hopes of claiming an unlikely win, but they’ll have to do it without Longstaff, who is also definitely ruled out for games against Liverpool and Chelsea.
Sean Longstaff could miss up to nine Premier League games for Leeds
The 27-year-old found himself without regular game time at Newcastle, yet with plenty of Premier League experience under his belt, he was always going to be a valuable addition to the Leeds squad.
Longstaff showcased his brilliance against Bournemouth on 27 September, registering a goal and an assist during the 2-2 draw.
Speaking in a press conference on Thursday, Farke said: “Longstaff is out with a calf injury, expected to be four-to-six weeks.”
| Match | Date |
| Man City (a) | 29 November |
| Chelsea (h) | 3 December |
| Liverpool (h) | 6 December |
| Brentford (a) | 14 December |
| Crystal Palace (h) | 20 December |
| Sunderland (a) | 28 December |
| Liverpool (a) | 1 January |
| Man United (h) | 4 January |
| Newcastle (a) | 7 January |
This means that with potential complications to his injury, he could miss nine matches, with the Newcastle clash on 7 January being the last.
If the English midfielder progresses well, there is a high likelihood that he could return for the Sunderland match on 28 December.
With Anton Stach also ruled out against Man City due to concussion protocol, it’s a terrible time for Farke to completely restructure his midfield.
Longstaff has seamlessly slotted into the spine of the Leeds team, and his contributions were vital to the way the team played.
With Longstaff out until nearly January at the earliest, it’s not just about replacing one spot in the team; it’s about what Leeds need to make up for in his absence.
How can Leeds replace Sean Longstaff in midfield?
Longstaff has been brilliant in multiple different aspects, combining his physical presence and technical ability to become one of the top creators in the Premier League this season.
According to FotMob, Longstaff has created 20 chances and registered 22 successful crosses, while also winning 55.6 per cent of his ground duels.
Leeds lack depth in midfield, and with Ilia Gruev and Ao Tanaka playing together against Man City, there is little faith that those two can make up for Longstaff’s creative output in the middle of the park.
Over December, all of the midfielders have to step up; otherwise, Farke may be out of a job, and Leeds will sink further into the relegation zone in Longstaff’s absence.
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