RAFAEL BENITEZ intends to tread carefully with Paul Dummett, even though the Wales international is available to solve Newcastle United’s damaging left-back dilemma at Southampton this afternoon.

Dummett has missed the last three games after suffering a recurrence of a hamstring injury in last month’s 3-1 defeat to Bournemouth, and his absence has exacerbated a problem that has been apparent for the majority of the campaign.

With Massadio Haidara and Kevin Mbabu also unavailable, and with Newcastle having failed to sign a left-back in either the summer or January transfer windows, Benitez was forced to play Vurnon Anita and Moussa Sissoko in the full-back berth at Norwich last weekend, with neither player looking particularly well suited to the role.

Dummett’s return would represent a significant boost, and the defender has taken part in a number of training sessions this week. However, with the 24-year-old having suffered nine separate hamstring-related problems in the last 15 months, Benitez is understandably reluctant to rush his return, even though it could solve a key problem at St Mary’s.

“Dummett is available, he was training well so hopefully he can be good news for this game and the rest of the season,” said Benitez. “We can push him, but I am not convinced that I have to push him because he was injured before and came back.

“Maybe we can wait a little bit because physically he is maybe not at the level you can expect for this game. So maybe we can say he could play 60 minutes or whatever, but I think it is still a risk so I prefer he starts on the bench and maybe that would be better.”

If Dummett does not start this afternoon, Benitez will have to decide whether to start with Anita or Sissoko, or move either Jamaal Lascelles or Daryl Janmaat to the left-back berth.

Anita was repeatedly exposed at Norwich last weekend, so the Newcastle boss could opt to name Lascelles at full-back even though he is normally a centre-half.

Skipper Fabricio Coloccini is not available though, so Lascelles is the only alternative to Steven Taylor and Chancel Mbemba, both of whom struggled for long periods of the Norwich game.

The lack of defensive options available to Benitez is a damning indictment of Newcastle’s recruitment failures in the last few years, with very little attention paid to improving the back four even though the Magpies have repeatedly struggled to prevent their opponents from scoring.

Newcastle have spent more than £80m in the last two transfer windows, yet the £8m spent to sign Chancel Mbemba from Anderlecht was their only expenditure on a defender.

Nine different players have appeared at left-back so far this season, yet Benitez finds himself farcically over-staffed in midfield and presiding over a squad that is surely the most imbalanced in the top-flight.

“I am very old, so I’ve been coaching for a while,” he said. “I’ve had a lot of teams, and the other teams? They have been unbalanced too.

“When you just arrive (in summer) you can choose your players and how to play. I think this is a good team, but we have had a big problem with injuries. It is not just unbalanced because of buying, it is unbalanced because of injuries - we have had too many. If two or three players come back, I think that will balance the team better.”

Benitez has played down speculation linking him with the Spanish national team, and reiterated his desire to continue managing Newcastle next season.

Benitez signed a three-year deal when he agreed to take over at St James’, but his contract includes a clause that will enable him to walk away next month if he fails to keep the Magpies in the Premier League.

Current Spain boss, Vicente del Bosque, is expected to leave his position in the wake of this summer’s European Championships, and the former World Cup identified Benitez as one of the leading candidates to replace him earlier this week.

Benitez is aware of the mounting speculation in his homeland, but remains determined to lead Newcastle to safety and continue in his current position beyond the summer.

“I am the Newcastle manager and I want to be the Newcastle manager next year,” he said. “I am really pleased here.

“Always it is positive when people talk about you, and obviously with Spain, it is one of the (best) teams in the world now, but I am just concentrating and I would like to stay here for a while.

“Is it flattering? Yes, for sure. Del Bosque is my friend – I was his assistant when he was with the first team at Real Madrid. He knows how I work – but still, I think I will be here for a while.”