Newcastle United defender Dan Burn received a lot of criticism for his performances at left-back earlier this season.
The 31-year-old has played on the left of defence for the majority of his Newcastle United career, despite initially arriving as a centre-back.
Dan Burn was one of the first players Eddie Howe brought to St James’ Park, joining the club from Brighton during the first transfer window after the Saudi-backed takeover.
The giant defender has been incredibly reliable ever since, and was a key component at left-back during last year’s incredible campaign.
He even started well there this season, impressing in the Champions League and even getting a goal on that famous night against Paris Saint-Germain.
Injury resulted in Dan Burn struggling for form
But a back injury disrupted Burn’s season, and a rushed comeback resulted in some poor performances.
There was a spell during the winter period in which Burn could do no right. Fast wingers were exploiting him and his lack of pace, and it resulted in Newcastle conceding a lot of goals from his side.
Teams were targeting Burn, but now he has changed position.
Injuries to Sven Botman and Jamaal Lascelles mean that the local lad is playing at centre-back once again, rekindling his partnership with Fabian Schar that served Newcastle so well in the second half of the 2021/22 campaign.
Burn shares where he would rather play for Newcastle United
But what is Burn’s preferred position? He has provided the answer in an interview with NUFC TV ahead of the Magpies’ game against Crystal Palace.
“I think my strongest position is centre-back,” he said.
“It’s the position I’ve played since I was a kid. I feel most comfortable there.
“But I’d probably say in contrast to that, the majority of my Premier League games have been at left-back, and managers continually pick me to play at left-back. So it’s not like I’m just putting myself in, there’s very experienced people putting me in that position.
“I know that I can play there and I do enjoy playing there. It’s different. You’re put in one-v-one situations a little bit more, especially the way we play. We press a lot higher. You get to go forward a bit more, which I do enjoy. I like joining in.
“But I have enjoyed playing centre-back the last few games. I think it’s probably what I needed, and I think I’ve played well.”
Burn looks more comfortable at centre-back for Newcastle
Burn has admitted that he would rather play at centre-back, and it is easy to understand why. He looks much more comfortable there, and has played extremely well since shifting inside.
And that is where he will remain for the rest of the season, as Eddie Howe simply does not have any other senior options. Burn will be at the heart of the defence for the final six games of the campaign, and a strong run of form could help the Magpies qualify for Europe.
After that, Newcastle will turn their attention towards the transfer market. The club are expected to sign a centre-back, and have been linked with the likes of Lloyd Kelly, Tosin Adarabioyo and Ousmane Diomande.
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