Thomas Christiansen should consider keeping Leeds starlet Bryce Hosannah on radar after Luke Ayling injury

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Leeds United have been rocked by the news that Luke Ayling will miss the rest of the season due to an ankle injury.

It is safe to say that Thomas Christiansen has probably not endured a more frustrating seven days during his time as Leeds boss than the spell he is currently going through.

Defeat to Newport County in the FA Cup gave him a sense of the embarrassment that Garry Monk had to deal with last season following the loss to Sutton United, the Whites’ best player this season is now banned for the next six games and arguably Leeds’ most consistent player since the start of last season will now play no further part in the campaign.

Leeds have today confirmed on their official website that Luke Ayling will miss the rest of the season due to an ankle injury that required surgery – and that will be a huge blow for the club’s promotion hopes.

The right-back may not have been at his best this season, but he is still one of the first names on the teamsheet for many fans and replacing him is going to be a huge task for Christiansen.

The club could look to go out into the transfer market while the window is open, but with a number of potential options available, it would not surprise many if the Leeds boss looked to make do with what he already has.

And one of the players he does have but may not be immediately considering is Bryce Hosannah, who is currently impressing for the Whites’ under-23 side.

It appears to be too soon for the 18-year-old to come into the first-team fold and be anything more than a peripheral figure, but he seems to be doing his chances no harm with his form for the youth team, so perhaps Christiansen should think about promoting him to the bench every now and then in the near future and potentially giving him some minutes in games where Leeds look to be well on their way to three points.

Leeds do not need to rush Hosannah through the ranks, but giving him some chances when games have already been put to bed may be a wise move in case anymore injuries occur and suddenly he finds himself even further up the pecking order.

His form since his Elland Road move suggests he could have the potential to become a senior player in the future, so perhaps Ayling’s injury presents the unfortunately-ideal chance for Christiansen to occasionally take a closer look.