Dan Burn put in another fine performance for Newcastle United during their draw with Aston Villa to kick off the new Premier League season.
After a difficult summer for Eddie Howe’s side, Newcastle United put in a solid if unspectacular performance on Saturday.
Newcastle drew 0-0 with Aston Villa and really should have won, but were guilty of wasting their chances in the absence of a striker.
Still, to largely hold a Villa side who have generally been excellent at home under Unai Emery at bay was impressive given the largely miserable summer Newcastle have endured.
Burn, one of the heroes of last year’s historic campaign, was crucial to that. Howe selected him and Fabian Schar rather than turning to new signing Malick Thiaw and was rewarded for that with a big performance from the pair.
Newcastle are going to need leaders like Burn this season and the England international’s display saw him handed quite the nickname by pundit Peter Crouch.
Dan Burn playing for Newcastle United against Aston Villa.
Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images
Peter Crouch jokingly compares Dan Burn to Franz Beckenbauer
Burn spoke to TNT Sports after the game.
Former England striker Crouch, who was working as a pundit at Villa Park, was asked to share the funny nickname he gave Burn while watching him in action.
Crouch revealed he’d been calling the Newcastle star ‘Franz Burnebauer’ in reference to Germany legend Franz Beckenbauer, who is generally regarded as one of the finest defenders to have ever played the game.
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In response, Burn said: “I’ll take that!
“It’s not the worst one I’ve had!”
Dan Burn stats for Newcastle United vs Aston Villa
Burn was once again brilliant for Newcastle, as has been the case for what feels like an age now.
No one won more aerial duels than the 33-year-old (6), while he also made the highest number of clearances (8) and he also ranked within Newcastle’s top three players for interceptions (2).
Aston Villa vs Newcastle United statistics Dan Burn
Aerial duels won 6
Clearances 8
Interceptions 2
Tackles 1
Dan Burn stats for Newcastle United against Aston Villa, data via WhoScored
The likes of Thiaw and Sven Botman will need to wait for their chance. Burn and Schar show little sign of slowing down and though that cannot be something to be relied upon long-term, it’s welcome news for Newcastle.