DOUBLE BLOW!

TOWN have been dealt a massive blow with news Aaron Mooy is ruled out until February.

And skipper Tommy Smith is also out for a month after tearing his right hamstring.

Australian Mooy, 28, suffered a medial ligament tear in the 1-0 defeat at Arsenal and, in addition to missing crucial Premier League matches for David Wagner’s side, is sidelined for the 2019 Asia Cup tournament with the Socceroos.

Terence Kongolo (knee) and Jonathan Hogg (groin) are being monitored daily ahead of Saturday’s home clash with Newcastle United.

Head coach David Wagner said: ”The news on both Aaron and Tommy is not something we wanted, but injuries are part of football. We have to deal with it, manage it and carry on into this important December period.

“Aaron and Tommy are both strong characters and will work very hard in their recovery. We look forward to having them back. For now, this creates opportunities for others.

“I’ve said all along that we will need everyone in the squad to contribute and now we should see the benefits of having such a competitive squad.”

Mooy spoke of his anguish at being ruled out.

“I’m gutted to be missing an important time for club and country,” said the influential midfielder. “We’ve got a lot of fixtures over the Christmas period at Huddersfield Town, but I back the team to continue our good performances and get the results that we’re targeting.

“The hard work on my recovery has already started and I’m looking forward to being back out on the pitch.”

Midfielder Abdelhamid Sabiri has undergone a successful operation to repair his broke collarbone. He is also expected to be out until February.