Newcastle United have now made it two wins from three in the Champions League and a first win at home after beating Benfica 3-0 on Tuesday evening – and the Magpies appear to have unearthed a cheat code that they have seldom made use of in the Premier League.
Jose Mourinho’s Benfica came to St. James’ Park looking to deny Newcastle of a first home win in the Champions League this season, with Marcus Rashford’s deadly brace for Barcelona vs Newcastle leaving Eddie Howe’s men pointless after gameweek one.
However, a buoyant 4-0 win over Union Saint-Gilloise in Belgium at the start of the month gave the Magpies a platform to succeed, and that carried into Tuesday when Anthony Gordon’s first-half strike was followed up by a Harvey Barnes double act after the break.
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But it’s not Barnes who was Newcastle’s cheat code on the night – and it’s become clear that Dan Burn is the secret weapon of choice in European games under the lights on Tyneside.
Liverpool v Newcastle United - Carabao Cup Final
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Newcastle star Dan Burn was all over Benfica in the Champions League
Just eight minutes into the game, a back post cross by Kieran Trippier from a corner found the head of Dan Burn, who headed downwards. It was kept out by Anatoliy Trubin and ensured pinball in the area, but it was a warning sign for Jose Mourinho’s side.
20 minutes later, the same almost happened again. Burn’s header at the back post from another Trippier set-piece found Bruno Guimaraes, but the Brazilian couldn’t quite get the ball out of his feet and Trubin smothered it once more.
Less than 60 seconds later, Burn again won a header at the back post, leading to a clearance that Trubin had to scramble away.
All of that pain caused to Benfica inside half an hour isn’t new to Eddie Howe. Dan Burn has previously excelled in the Champions League before, and that was no different against Paris Saint-Germain two years ago.
The defender rose highest to power home a header against the French giants in a famous 4-1 win at St. James’ Park, a memory etched in Magpies folklore forever.
Burn’s performance vs PSG was labelled as ‘powerful’ by Chris Waddle in what remains his only goal in European competition, but after Tuesday’s performance, you’d bet on it happening again.
Burn’s aerial advantage is evidently a metric that Newcastle are looking to utilise in Europe.
But they don’t tend to do so in the Premier League, despite its evident success on the continental stage.
Newcastle United FC v Paris Saint-Germain: Group F - UEFA Champions League 2023/24
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Newcastle don’t utilise Dan Burn’s height as much in the Premier League
For all of his glory on those famous European nights at St. James’ Park, Burn’s aerial ability hasn’t really been used on home soil.
According to FBREF, Burn has won 12 and lost just seven of his aerial battles in the Champions League this season, giving him a 63.2 percent success rate.
12 aerial duels won is the second-most in the competition, behind only Kairat Almaty star Yegor Sorokin who is on 13.
Compare that to his Premier League tally, and Burn ranks in seventh in that regard, a whole 11 behind Liverpool hero Virgil van Dijk.
Moreover, he’s lost 27 of his 55 aerial duels in the Premier League – essentially half – highlighting either less of a reliance to him where he has to plan his aerial attack late, or a less targeted approach where it is more of a duel of sorts.
If Newcastle’s plan with Burn does work in the coming games in the Champions League, Eddie Howe would be silly not to utilise his cheat code in the future in the Premier League to hoist Newcastle back up the table.
Burn is the tallest player in the Premier League and along with Nick Woltemade, they could cause a real handful domestically. It worked in the Carabao Cup final in March as Burn scored vs Liverpool from a header to take the trophy home, and there’s no reason it can’t across a 38-game season.