Dan Burn has joked Sven Botman does not want him to play as a central defender after being accidentally knocked out by his Newcastle United team-mate. The defender suffered a concussion late on in the thrilling home draw with Manchester City last month after being struck in the head by a fierce clearance from the summer signing.
Burn was replaced in added time by Emil Krafth, and missed the midweek Carabao Cup win at Tranmere Rovers as a result. The January recruit has since returned to action, and has so far featured at both centre back and at left back as cover for Matt Targett.
It was a moment reminiscent of Olivier Bernard being subjected to a Laurent Robert thunderbolt, and Burn has hinted it was perhaps a cunning move from Botman to hold on to his starting spot. When asked about the 'knockout', Burn joked to the BBC's The Monday Night Club: "I don't think Sven wants us to play centre-half apparently so that's why he did it!"
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Boyhood Magpies fan Burn has already made 22 appearances in black-and-white since his arrival at the start of the year. The former Brighton defender forged an impressive partnership with Fabian Schar as Eddie Howe's side finished last season strongly to quash any fears over relegation.
However, Burn's place in the starting lineup has been placed under scrutiny following the summer arrival of long-term target Botman. The Magpies failed in a January move for the Netherlands under-21 international, but ultimately got their man in a reported £35 million deal.
Burn has so far just made two appearances in central defence, with Howe often turning to the towering defender to cover at left back. The 30-year-old admits he could have been viewed as a 'short-term fix', but has backed himself to remain a mainstay in the starting lineup no matter who Newcastle sign in the coming years.
Burn added: "The centre-halves we were linked with in January... we went and signed Sven in the summer. I always knew it could be the case of being signed to be a short-term fix, knowing that in the long-term they were going to have to do something.
"I've said in interviews before that if I can get myself into the team, I'll back myself against anyone who they bring in. I believe in my ability and believe what I can bring to the team.
"It wasn't where I was thinking I'll come and sign in January, and in six months that'll be me done. It's something I wanted to do, something that I'd dreamt of when I was a kid, it's who I wanted to play for and this opportunity might never come again.
"At some point you've got to take a risk in as much as I was happy at Brighton, and I was playing week in, week out for the majority of the time. My family were living down there and were very happy, so it was a risk in that sense. But as soon as I knew Newcastle were involved, I was desperate to go."
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