---
title: "Leeds: Noel Whelan bemoans Luke Ayling’s injury layoff"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/leeds-noel-whelan-bemoans-luke-aylings-injury-layoff/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Henry Jackson"
section: "Leeds United News"
published: "2021-10-04T11:05:14Z"
modified: "2021-10-04T11:05:14Z"
---

# Leeds: Noel Whelan bemoans Luke Ayling’s injury layoff

**Former Leeds United striker Noel Whelan has bemoaned Luke Ayling’s injury layoff which will see him miss a chunk of the season.**

### The Lowdown: Ayling set for injury layoff

The Whites won their first Premier League game of the campaign on Saturday after beating Watford 1-0 at Elland Road, but they had to do it without the 30-year-old.

As noted by Marcelo Bielsa in recent days, the right-back [requires knee surgery](https://twitter.com/LUFC/status/1443546469995274245) after being missing since the 1-1 draw at Newcastle United, meaning that he is set for an extended spell on the sidelines.

\[freshpress-quiz id=“375277″\]

### The Latest: Whelan reacts to news

Whelan has bemoaned that news and told [Football Insider](https://www.footballinsider247.com/leeds-dealt-massive-dressing-room-blow-after-ayling-injury-update-whelan/) that Leeds will miss both Ayling’s quality and character on the pitch. He said:

> “He’s a character in the changing room he’s a leader in there as well.
>
> “Ayling brings some fun to the changing room, you can see what kind of personality he is.
>
> “It’s the personality that he brings on the field that’s more important. That energy, bursting up and down the right-hand side.
>
> “Defensively as well, covering round, he’s a massive part of the Leeds United defence.
>
> “It’s going to be a sorry blow to miss him. The international break, that’s two weeks that will allow him to recover after the operation.”
>
> [Latest Leeds United news!](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-leeds-united-news-18/)

### The Verdict: Big all-round blow for Leeds

As Whelan says, it is the all-round package which makes Ayling such an influential figure and explains why he will be a big miss for Leeds in the coming weeks.

He may not necessarily be the most gifted player in Bielsa’s squad, but he is a leader and also possesses great consistency at right-back, making [198 appearances](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/luke-ayling/alletore/spieler/67420) for the Whites to date. His defensive quality is evident in his match average of 2.2 tackles this season prior to his injury, the third-highest at Elland Road ([WhoScored](https://twitter.com/LUFC/status/1443546469995274245)), while he led the way for that metric last term with [2.8 per game](https://www.whoscored.com/Teams/19/Archive/England-Leeds).

It also means that youngster Jamie Shackleton may have to [continue at right-back](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/jamie-shackleton/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/534700) for the time being – Stuart Dallas [is an option](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/stuart-dallas/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/158764) there, too – which is far from ideal with neither of them being a natural in that position.

***In other news, Phil Hay has been discussing a boost that Leeds have received. Read more [here](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/leeds-united-news/leeds-phil-hay-discusses-james-ward-prowse-suspension/).***