OPINION
Newcastle United defender Paul Dummett isn’t always the first name on the team sheet for manager Rafael Benitez, but he is always someone the Spaniard can rely upon.
The 27-year-old will now have to shoulder even more responsibility through the final stage of the season after centre back Florian Lejeune suffered a devastating injury on Saturday.
The Telegraph’s Luke Edwards reported on his personal Twitter account that the Frenchman had suffered suspected cruciate ligament damage and is expected to face another lengthy spell on the sidelines. That’s horrible news for Lejeune, but it will likely result in more first team football for Dummett.
The Welsh international was a regular contributor at left back throughout the first half of the season, but has had to be content with a bit-part role since returning from injury earlier this year.
With midfielder Matt Ritchie having made the left wing back role his own, it seems that Dummett’s best chance of first team football is as part of the team’s three man central defensive unit. It’s there that he will likely take over from Lejeune, as he did off the bench against Crystal Palace on Saturday.
He’s performed well in that role when he’s been given a chance this term, and he’s surely the best bet to replace Lejeune moving forward. Federico Fernandez has fluffed his lines when he’s featured recently, while Ciaran Clark looks to be a long way down the pecking order.
No, a centre back trio of Fabian Schar, Jamaal Lascelles and Dummett would appear to be the order of the day for the Magpies’ final five games of the season.
The Welshman is a safe pair of hands, but this will likely be the longest stretch of starts for him since the back end of 2018. How will he respond to be being back in the firing line full time? There’s only one way to find out, of course, but the pressure is certainly on the local lad down the stretch here.
