Brighton star Danny Welbeck was in need of oxygen after a concerning back injury during his side’s clash with Newcastle United.
The ex-Manchester United and Arsenal forward had earlier given Brighton the lead at St James’ Park – his fifth goal in just eight Premier League matches this season. But his game was cut short when he had to be stretchered off following an incident with Newcastle’s Fabian Schar.
The collision seemed minor at first, yet Welbeck couldn’t play on. At 33, Welbeck was spotted chatting with colleagues as he was carried off the pitch. Despite losing their scorer, Brighton managed to secure the win, finishing just shy of the top four.
Support poured in for Welbeck on social media, with fans expressing concern and wishing him a speedy recovery. “Fingers crossed he’s okay,” one fan posted, while another sent “get well soon” wishes. Welbeck’s strike was his fifth of the season, making him Brighton’s top scorer so far, and he’s never netted more than six league goals in a single campaign for the club, reports the Mirror.
The narrow win propelled Fabian Hurzeler’s squad to fifth place with 15 points from eight matches, following Saturday’s games. Chelsea, who have handed Brighton their only defeat this term, could overtake them if they manage to get a result against Liverpool on Sunday.
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Earlier in the season, Brighton boss Hurzeler – who is younger than Welbeck – lauded the England international’s maturity. “I don’t see that he is getting old,” Hurzeler expressed. “He’s a role model on and off the pitch – a gentleman with a lot of experience who is taking care of his team-mates, taking care of the culture and environment of the whole club.
“He is helpful in every phase. And on top of that, he is in great shape. Of course there are lots of things where he can improve but I’m very happy with how he’s doing so far. What surprised me was how much Danny Welbeck takes care of his team-mates and how he protects them, how he helps them, how he supports them.
“I think that’s not normal and something we should appreciate within this club. Having a player who is not only taking care of his own ego, because in the end in football there are a lot of egos but it’s not just about scoring and making assists. He’s taking care of the whole environment of his teammates and not just himself and that is for me something very surprising.”