Leeds United's Daniel Farke on Sean Longstaff's challenge: 'I don't play the nicest characters'
Leeds United's next Premier League game would have been the second one Sean Longstaff looked for when the fixtures came out in June, after the reverse fixture at St James's Park.
The Whites host Longstaff's boyhood club Newcastle United in the Premier League on Monday but such is the competition in Leeds' midfield, the 28-year-old Tynesider is likely to be watching from the bench.
"Sean is a top guy, a top character, one of our most experienced players at this level, he has many, many Premier League games," said his manager, Daniel Farke.
"He has the skill to influence the game with a goal or an assist, he has this natural instinct when to be on the edge of the box and instinctive finish.
"I was a bit surprised he didn't finish his chance on Wednesday (when he played at Chelsea in the League Cup).
"Like all our players in this position, he has lots of competition so you always has to be on it.
"Last season he needed to adapt to a new club then he had a really good period when he was more or less irreplicable and influenced our game a lot.
"But after a long-term calf injury he had a few problems coming back.
"He fought his way back in a good pre-season and had some good games but there is lots of competition.
"Whenever he gets a chance like in the cup to shine it's important he grabs those chances, or when he comes on in a Premier League game.
"Every good performance there or in training extends your chances to be more involved and every poorer performance makes it more difficult.
"I don't play the guys I like most or that are the most experienced or the nicest characters, I play what I think is beneficial for the team."