---
title: "Bruce slams horror challenge on Ritchie – would losing him be a big blow?"
canonical: "https://readnewcastle.com/2019/08/29/bruce-slams-horror-challenge-on-ritchie-would-losing-him-be-a-big-blow/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Daniel Emery"
section: "Feature Writers"
published: "2019-08-29T19:00:07Z"
modified: "2019-08-29T19:00:07Z"
---

# Bruce slams horror challenge on Ritchie – would losing him be a big blow?

Newcastle manager has labeled Hamza Choudury’s tackle on Matt Ritchie a “horror challenge” after their clash with Leicester.

Ritchie was forced off the pitch in the first-half after being taken out by Choudhury, who was then given a yellow card by the referee.

Speaking to Sky Sports journalist Keith Downie after the game, Bruce said this:

> Twitter: Steve Bruce: “Matt Ritchie is a mess. Three separate cuts on his ankle need stitches. It was a horror challenge. I… https://t.co/36Au2uu3Ex (@SkySports\_Keith)

![Ian MacNicol/Getty Images Sport](https://media.readnewcastle.com/readnewcastle/sites/20/2019/08/1170759123.jpg)

### READ NEWCASTLE VERDICT

Would losing Ritchie for a considerable amount of time be a massive blow for Newcastle? Absolutely.

Ritchie can play as a left wing-back or in midfield and his crossing ability is crucial for Newcastle down the flank.

His ability to fizz balls into the box and provide chances for his teammates is unparalleled in the Newcastle squad, which means that him being absent could have a big effect on their results.

However, there is an international break after Newcastle’s clash with Watford at the weekend. This gives Ritchie an extra couple of weeks to recover from his injury and be back ready to start in the Premier League for Bruce.

Ritchie has averaged,[as per WhoScored](https://www.whoscored.com/Players/68648/Show/Matt-Ritchie), 2.7 key passes per game in the Premier League for Newcastle so far this season, which is an excellent return for a player playing at left-back.