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Dan Burn has his say on the Premier League title contenders
Newcastle United defender Dan Burn has explained that Manchester City’s possession-based football can be demoralizing, while Liverpool‘s quick counter-attacks make them dangerous.
The Magpies were sitting 19th in the Premier League table when they were taken over by a consortium led by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund last October. They have since steered clear of the relegation zone, with Eddie Howe now in charge of the club.
Newcastle currently sit 13th in the table with 43 points from 35 matches and could go on to secure a top-half finish. It is worth noting that only Manchester City and Liverpool have earned more points than Howe’s side in 2022.
The Tyneside-based club were able to test themselves against Jurgen Klopp’s side last weekend, though they lost 1-0. They are now set to take on table-toppers Manchester City this evening.
Looking ahead to the match at the Etihad Stadium, Burn has admitted that playing against Pep Guardiola’s side can be disheartening as they may not allow Newcastle to have possession. The Englishman also suggested that facing the Reds is comparatively easier. He was quoted as saying by The Shields Gazette:
βThe difference with City is that they can demoralize you by keeping the ball constantly and you could probably not touch it for 90 minutes. You still think you might have a chance against Liverpool but the speed at which they counter is probably the big difference between the teams.β
Burn also expressed his desire to help Newcastle reach Manchester City and Liverpool’s levels. He said:
“Obviously Liverpool and City have been building for a number of years to get to that level and it’s where we want to be so hopefully we can keep moving in the right direction and try and get in and around them.β
Burn was one of Newcastle’s first signings after being taken over by the Public Investment Fund. The 29-year-old has been a key player for the Magpies since joining them from Brighton & Hove Albion for around Β£13.5 million in January, making 13 appearances.
Can Newcastle do Liverpool a favor by taking points off Manchester City?
The Reds suffered a blow in the Premier League title race as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday. They sit atop the table, but now require the Citizens to lose at least one of their remaining four matches to win the title.
Klopp and Co will be hoping that Newcastle can do them a favor when they travel to the Etihad Stadium today. The table-toppers go into the match on the back of a 6-5 aggregate loss to Real Madrid in the Champions League semi-finals.
It is worth noting that Guardiola’s side also have matches against Wolverhampton Wanderers, West Ham United and Aston Villa coming up. The Reds, on the other hand, have to face Villa, Southampton and Wolves.
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