Aston Villa defender Tyrone Mings out for most of season with serious knee injury

The club confirmed on Monday the England international will undergo surgery after leaving St James’s Park on a stretcher just half-an-hour into the match.

It is understood Mings sustained damage to his anterior cruciate ligament, the same injury which befell team-mate Emi Buendia in training last week.

Boss Unai Emery is now facing several months without two players who were major parts of his plan for the campaign.

Villa will enter the transfer market to replace Buendia with talks over a deal for Galatasaray forward Nicolo Zaniolo ongoing. The club pulled out of a proposed move for Leeds winger Jack Harrison after it emerged the 26-year-old will be sidelined for at least another month with a hip injury.

Villa signed Spain international centre-back Pau Torres earlier in the summer, while Diego Carlos and Calum Chambers can also provide cover for the absent Mings.

But it is the latter’s leadership which will be most difficult to replace, with Mings having been a constant presence in Villa’s rise from the Championship since initially joining on loan from Bournemouth in January, 2019.

Mings posted a message on Twitter, thanking fans for their support. He wrote: "I don’t even know where to start but to say thank you for all of your messages of support Villa fans.

"From the day I came here on loan I’ve given everything on the pitch, I’ll now give everything off the pitch to come back even better, whilst supporting the team."

Newcastle posted on Twitter in response to Villa's update: "Wishing you a speedy recovery, @TyroneMings".

Magpies boss Eddie Howe signed Mings for Bournemouth in 2015 only to lose the centre-back for 15 months when he suffered an anterior cruciate ligament on his Cherries debut.

Howe said at the weekend: "I have to say he faced that period out with incredible courage and resilience, and what he's done since that moment, to go on and play for his country and be outstanding in the Premier League, is testament to that resilience.

"We certainly wish him well and I send him all my love."