Newcastle coach Rafael Benitez insists Sean Longstaff has reacted well after suffering a season-ending injury last week.
The midfielder has enjoyed a superb breakthrough campaign but he now looks set for a few months on the sidelines.
Longstaff suffered cruciate ligament damage during last Saturday’s 2-0 Premier League defeat against West Ham.
The injury is not thought to be serious but he will now miss the rest of the season and Benitez has been impressed by how quickly he has moved on.
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He told reporters: “When you have an injury in your team, it’s always bad news. When you have a young player doing so well and he gets injured for the next months, it’s even worse. “But to be fair, talking with him, he’s quite fine in terms of mentality, he’s strong enough.
“You can see talking with him now, ‘It happens in football’, he said, ‘and now I have to start working and trying to be fit as soon as possible’. “His reaction has been very positive.
Obviously we are really disappointed with the injury but at least he’s taken it really well in terms of his approach.”
