Newcastle United fans would've feared for the worst on Saturday afternoon when they didn't see their captain Jamaal Lascelles return for the beginning of the second-half, while their team was 2-0 down at the time against Everton.

But, Paul Dummett replaced Lascelles for the remainder of the match and the Magpies went on to delivered a spirited second-half performance to win the match 3-2 at St James's Park.

The introduction of Dummett certainly paid off for manager Rafa Benitez as his team managed to keep the Toffees out for the second-half, setting the platform for Newcastle to launch attack after attack.

The 45-minute stint was the most action the defender has had since returning from injury and it should've been encouraging for the manager to see him deliver such a solid and composed performance.

Benitez opted for a back-three formation to start the game but when Lascelles had to be replaced it appeared the team went back to a back-four with Dummett operating at right-back.

The 27-year-old Dummett proved to the manager that he still capable of pulling his weight in the team and could be a solid option to consider for the remainder of the season.

Newcastle have shown great resilience and determination in recent matches, which has changed their season around.

Benitez, however, would want that trend to continue as the season draws the close, which could see him call on Dummett at critical times.

The fact that he stayed calm under pressure when his team was failing to keep their defence tight ultimately swung the game in favour of the hosts.

If Lascelles is set to miss a few matches due to the knee injury he suffered on Saturday then Dummett would be a reasonable replacement for him under the circumstances.

It might force Benitez to change his tactics and formation a bit but it would certainly not put the team in a bad position after the performance he had against Marco Silva's charges.

Newcastle fans, how important has Paul Dummett become? Join the discussion by commenting below...