Gooch injury ‘blow’ for young midfielder
David Moyes has described Lynden Gooch’s ankle injury as a terrible blow - with the “infectious” midfielder facing up to three months on the sidelines.
The 20-year-old has broken onto the first team scene this season but is facing a lengthy spell out after being carried off with the injury in the Under-23 draw with Tottenham Hotspur earlier this week.
Gooch was in London on Friday to see a specialist, who will decide if surgery is needed on the ankle ligament damage but either way he is facing up to 12 weeks out.
“Unfortunately Lynden was taken off for the reserves and it looks like damage to one of his ligaments,” Moyes told the Echo.
“He is seeing the sur- geon today to see if he needs an operation but he will be out for somewhere between eight and 12 weeks, depending on what the surgeon says.
“It is a terrible blow for Lynden, we like him, he is infectious. “He is a good character. “I was speaking to him last week and told him that I thought his levels had dipped but that would be normal for a young player especially if you think of the games we have asked him to play in and the situation of the team.
“I have seen his training coming back, though, in recent weeks and this is a real blow for him.
“Him and Paddy McNair getting Premier League games is a big part for their development.
“To lose him has been a big blow.”
The blow has been softened with the return to fitness of Seb Larsson, who was on the bench against Liverpool and Jan Kirchhoff, who could be on the bench against Leicester City.