Dan Burn scored his second Champions League goal for Newcastle United during their 2-0 win v Athletic Clubplaceholder image
Dan Burn scored his second Champions League goal for Newcastle United during their 2-0 win v Athletic Club | Getty Images
Newcastle United news: Dan Burn scored the opener at St James’ Park as Newcastle United defeated Athletic Club in the Champions League.
Dan Burn doubled his tally of Champions League goals with a sublime header to give his side the lead against Athletic Club on Wednesday night. Burn, who shared his frustrations about Newcastle United’s performance against West Ham at the weekend in the build-up to this match, found himself unmarked in the penalty area before planting a header from distance past Unai Simon.
After a shaky start from the hosts, Burn’s header seemed to settle them and give them a platform to build-on. Athletic Club, despite all their injury issues, responded well, though, and posed questions of the hosts’ back-line.
However, their hopes of coming back into the contest were dashed when Joelinton, who had been guilty of missing some straightforward chances in the first-half, netted a header to double Newcastle United’s lead. Eddie Howe’s side never really looked like relinquishing that lead as they held on to record a comfortable victory.
Dan Burn delivers ‘huge’ Newcastle United v Athletic Club verdict
Speaking to TNT Sports after the match, Burn, who will have one eye on Thomas Tuchel’s England squad when it is announced later this week, said on the win: “It's huge. We said we wanted to respond.
“I knew we would turn up today. We controlled large parts of it. We've got nine points now.
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“I've been due one for a while, and then when it came in, I decided I would head it as hard as I could. We've been working on it.
“We knew I'd have some space around the back. At least it was a good header.
“They pressed really well. We were surprised.
“We thought they would sit in more. Second half, we wanted to stretch it more. I'm buzzing for Joey, he's been due a goal like me.”
Once again, Burn was deployed at left-back by Howe in the absence of Lewis Hall. The former Chelsea man was deemed fit enough to make his long awaited comeback to action during Wednesday night’s game, though, replacing Burn during the second half for his first slice of action since October 1 and their win over Union Saint-Gilloise.
Hall’s fitness will dictate if Burn is used there again on Sunday or whether Howe will opt to move Burn back inside to play him as a centre-back. Speaking ahead of the clash with Athletic Club, Burn stated that his favoured position is in the middle of defence and then reiterated that to TNT Sports during his post-match interview on the St James’ Park turf following the final whistle.
He added: “I said I love playing centre back, it's my best position. I like playing left-back, I get to go up and down but it's tougher on the legs.
“We had to win our home games. We were unlucky in the Barcelona one. We have some away ones coming up now.”
As the best part of 52,000 fans cheered that goal as the ball slammed in off the post past a despairing Simon, Alan Shearer was pictured giving his seal of approval by the TNT Sports camera. Shearer, who is clinging onto the record of being Newcastle United’s all-time top scorer in this competition, was at St James’ Park on Wednesday night to watch his former side seal a third-straight Champions League win and end the night sixth in the table.
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