OPINION
The rise of Newcastle United midfielder Sean Longstaff has been a wonderful thing to behold in recent times, but that is now all about to be put to an end after a huge blow.
The 21-year-old has been almost certainly ruled out for the rest of the season due to injuring his knee ligament and this is news that many of the fans were no doubt not wanting to hear.
However, this may be the perfect opportunity for the likes of Mo Diame to step up in his absence and get some vital games under his belt in order to secure his contract extension.
He will have to play out of his skin though, as Rafa Benitez also has the option of starting Jonjo Shelvey if need be, and he is someone else who will be desperate to get some more minutes this season.
It is time for the 31-year-old to step up to the plate and show Benitez that he is a quality midfielder and deserves to be in the starting XI on a regular basis, especially after the mixed campaign he has already had.
There is not going to be a better chance for Diame to get into the first team again, and based on his cameo against West Ham last Saturday when Longstaff came off, it would be a very wise idea indeed for Benitez to place his faith in him.
There is no doubting that he is a quality midfielder, and he will have to fill the void left by Longstaff, who has become a new club favourite due to his impressive performances and his maturity.
The £45,000-a-week [Spotrac] player is the ideal choice to replace Longstaff, but he will have to play out of his skin if he has the likes of Shelvey hot on his heels.
