Newcastle United have secured their second Champions League victory in three matches. Their recent 3-0 triumph over Benfica at St. James’ Park highlighted a tactical approach seemingly underutilized in their Premier League campaign. The focus centers on defender Dan Burn aerial prowess, a “cheat code” that manager Eddie Howe could exploit more consistently domestically. This strategic adjustment could potentially elevate Newcastle’s performance in both European and domestic competitions.
Dan Burn Champions League impact for Newcastle United
Benfica, managed by Jose Mourinho, aimed to thwart Newcastle’s first home Champions League win of the season. A previous defeat to Barcelona, partly due to a brace from Marcus Rashford, had left Newcastle without points after the first matchday. However, a decisive 4-0 victory against Union Saint-Gilloise in Belgium provided a foundation for success, which carried over into the match against Benfica.
Anthony Gordon scored in the first half, followed by two goals from Harvey Barnes after halftime. However, the key factor was Dan Burn.
Eight minutes into the game, Kieran Trippier’s corner kick found Dan Burn. Burn’s header was saved by Anatoliy Trubin. Twenty minutes later, the same almost happened again. Burn’s header found Bruno Guimaraes, but Trubin smothered the ball.
Less than a minute later, Burn won another header, leading to a clearance. Dan Burn also previously excelled in the Champions League against Paris Saint-Germain. He scored a header in a 4-1 win at St. James’ Park. Chris Waddle called Burn’s performance “powerful.” Newcastle appear to be intentionally utilizing Burn’s aerial skills in European play.
Premier League form contrasts Champions League success
Newcastle don’t often use this tactic in the Premier League, despite its success in Europe.
Dan Burn has a 63.2 percent success rate in aerial battles in the Champions League this season, winning 12 and losing seven. He ranks second in the competition for aerial duels won. Only Yegor Sorokin of Kairat Almaty has more, with 13.
In contrast, he ranks seventh in the Premier League. He’s lost 27 of his 55 aerial duels. This highlights less reliance on him or a less targeted approach. If Newcastle’s plan with Burn works in the Champions League, Eddie Howe should use it in the Premier League.
Eddie Howe urged to unleash aerial threat domestically
Dan Burn is one of the tallest players in the Premier League. He could cause problems domestically. He scored with a header in the Carabao Cup final against Liverpool. There’s no reason it can’t work across a 38-game season. Moving forward, the question remains whether Eddie Howe will integrate this “cheat code” into Newcastle’s Premier League strategy. This could potentially unlock a new dimension in their attack.
