Newcastle United defender Dan Burn has been named in Alan Shearer’s Premier League team of the week.
The 29-year-old made his Toon debut against Aston Villa, starting alongside Fabian Schar after this £13million arrival from Brighton.
Newcastle were desperate for a centre-back in January, and Burn was the one they got. And based on his only appearance so far, what a bit business he’s going to be.
Burn was on the bench against Everton, but made his first start on Sunday with Jamaal Lascelles out due to illness.
As far as debuts go, you couldn’t ask for much more. The defender was solid at the back, barely giving the Villa forwards a sniff of goal. He was strong in possession too; something Eddie Howe wants from his centre-backs.
Shearer says Burn was ‘commanding’ against Aston Villa
Every week, Shearer names a Premier League team of the week. And given their form this season, there haven’t been too many Magpies included.
But there was one this week, with Burn named in defence alongside Adam Webster and Seamus Coleman.
On his performance, Shearer wrote: “What a moment for the Geordie. A commanding display on his debut for his boyhood club.”
The club’s all-time leading goalscorer sums it up pretty well. Burn was commanding, winning pretty much everything up against Ollie Watkins.
He oozed confidence, never looking like he had a mistake in him. That’s not something that has been said about Toon defenders this season.
It was a remarkable debut for Burn, made all the more special given his affiliation to the club.
Burn is a local lad, and lived out his boyhood dream on Sunday. Hopefully it’s the first of many ‘commanding’ performances in black and white.
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