Ayling, who once played for Yeovil Town in League One, signed for Leeds in the summer of 2016 and played an instrumental role in helping them earn promotion back to the Premier League.
The full-back has been a fixture under Whites boss Marcelo Bielsa in the top flight but has been watching on from the sidelines since picking up a knee injury in mid-September.
Former Whites centre-back Newsome is of the view that Ayling has become a very good Premier League player under Bielsa’s tutelage and feels Leeds are missing him on the pitch.
However, Newsome stressed that Jamie Shackleton, who has stepped up in the right-back role in Ayling’s place, has been holding his own in the first team with his tenacity and high work rate in games.
Asked whether he thinks Leeds are missing Ayling, Newsome said on BBC Radio Leeds: “I think we do miss Luke Ayling.
“I think he stepped up from the level he was at, and he has made himself into a very, very good Premier League footballer.
“I do not think that takes anything away from Jamie Shackleton.
“I think Shack has done a great job again [against Norwich].
“I think he is tenacious; he puts his foot in, he can get in and around the pitch, he uses the ball well.
“So no, I do not think he is a negative at all.”
Ayling is currently on the road to recovery, but no exact date has been put on when he will be available for selection again.
