Newcastle United player Dan Burn in action during training ahead of their UEFA Champions League match against Athletic Club at Newcastle United Training Centre on November 04, 2025 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)placeholder image
Newcastle United player Dan Burn in action during training ahead of their UEFA Champions League match against Athletic Club at Newcastle United Training Centre on November 04, 2025 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Dan Burn has defended his role in Newcastle United’s starting line-up with key players set to return.
Burn has been a regular for Newcastle since his £13million arrival from Brighton & Hove Albion in January 2022. The 33-year-old has played at both centre-back and left-back under Eddie Howe.
Despite starting the season well at centre-back, the recent injuries to Lewis Hall and Tino Livramento have seen Burn shifted out to the left once again.
Since Burn’s switch to left-back, Sven Botman and Malick Thiaw have formed an effective centre-back partnership. And now with Lewis Hall and Tino Livramento nearing returns to fitness, Burn’s place in the side is suddenly under threat.
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Dan Burn on Newcastle United selection dilemmas
“I'm not too sure,” Burn replied when asked how his role could change with Hall and Livramento returning. “I think it's something we have to ask the manager, but I think it's good now that we've got, especially those two lads coming back, because they are very big players for us, and we've got good quality in every position now, so I think the manager's spoiled this season, there'll probably be a lot more rotation this year.
“I think that's something that we've probably not leaned on as much in the past, we've always been quite a settled team, but now we have good quality in every single position, so we should be able to take players in and out without the standards of our performance being there.”
Dan Burn ‘confident’ of keeping his place
Burn’s versatility and reliability have made him a key player for Newcastle under Howe. The defender has played every minute of every game so far this season with the exception of the Bradford City Carabao Cup match, in which he was rested.
But the defender’s time at Newcastle and career as a whole can be summed up by proving doubters wrong as he has progressed from non-league football to becoming a full England international, scoring in the Champions League and in a Carabao Cup final win.
“I feel like I've done that my whole career, I feel like wherever I’ve been there's been centre-halves brought in, or players in my position, that have been brought in to take it, and I'm still here,” Burn told The Gazette.
“I feel like I've built up a fair amount of credit with my performances for Newcastle since I've been here, so I'm confident that I'll continue to play.”
On his performances so far this season, Burn added: “I still think I’ve been playing pretty well, the West Ham game aside. I feel I’ve put in good performances at left back.
“Don’t get me wrong, I’m a very different style of full back to Tripps [Kieran Trippier], Tino or Lewis Hall. I won’t produce the same things they do.
“But the manager thinks I can do what he wants me to do in that position. I want to play centre half. That is my best position.
“I was player of the year last season in that position. But I just want to play football and, if the manager thinks I can help the team playing there - and obviously we’ve had some injuries in that position - then I’m happy to do that.”
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