Dan Burn’s verdict on Newcastle United’s ‘brilliant’ new £40m left-back

Dan Burn has admitted he now faces a fight to regain his starting spot following Tino Livramento’s breakthrough into the first-team. Despite being signed as a right-back from Southampton in the summer, Livramento has predominantly featured at left-back since Burn’s injury last month and has impressed in that role.

With Burn now edging back to full fitness, however, there is added competition for the 21-year-old to compete with. Burn, who is ten years Livramento’s senior, has been a regular under Eddie Howe but admitted to the Gazette that his place as first-choice left-back may now be under threat.

Burn told the Gazette: “He has been brilliant. I have said this before I thought Tino was a great acquisition, every time I saw him play at Southampton I thought he was brilliant, certainly one for the future.

“He is playing very, very well at the moment and I’m sure he will be wanting to keep his place so that just drives me even more. I had that starting place and now I want to get it back.

“It’s good competition, I have said before that you don’t just want to be sitting there knowing that you’re going to play every week. You want people pushing you and that will only make players better.”

Kieran Trippier’s suspension could hand both Livramento and Burn the chance to start together against Fulham this afternoon. Lewis Hall may also be in Howe’s plans when Marco Silva’s side travel to Tyneside as the club’s injury crisis begins to ease.