Newcastle United loan star suffers injury on QPR duty against North East rivals Sunderland

Newcastle United loanee Harrison Ashby limped off before half time for QPR during the Championship fixture against Sunderland at Loftus Road on Saturday afternoon.

The 22-year-old completed a Deadline Day move to the R's this summer and has been eased into action by head coach Marti Cifuentes. Ashby has made just six appearances in all competitions but was thrust into the action against top-of-the-table Sunderland as QPR battle an ever-growing list of defensive injuries.

It now looks as if the full-back will be added to those injury worries for Cifuentes, having been substituted shortly before the break. Ashby went down in the centre circle and appeared to be holding his hamstring. The severity of the injury remains to be seen but could require weeks of recovery.

QPR medical staff went on to tend to the Magpies man but it was clear that he would not be able to continue against North East foes Sunderland. Hevertton Santos came on in his place.

The former West Ham was reported to be a target for Blackburn Rovers and Stoke City this summer having spent last season on loan at Swansea City. It was however, QPR who won the loan race.

Writing in his programme notes about his options at full-back before the game, Cifuentes said: "Ken's [Kenneth Paal] injury meant that Koko Saito and Harrison Ashby have been needed to play on that left-hand side in the last two games. Both of them have the skills to play in these positions - they can drive forward, they are attack-minded and they can have a good impact in the last third.

"In addition, both of them have a good mentality for defending. I was very pleased with Koki against Coventry, because it's not easy to jump in after just a few minutes and perform the way he did. The same with Ash against Burnley, adapting to the left side which is not his natural flank."