Newcastle United have had an excellent few days. After a disappointing defeat to Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League last week which was succeeded by a 2-2 draw with Wolves, the Magpies bounced back emphatically.
A memorable 3-0 win in the EFL Cup at Old Trafford to knock the holders out of the competition was followed up by a 1-0 victory over Arsenal in the Premier League on Saturday evening to put Eddie Howe’s side seven points behind leaders Manchester City.
However, it’s not all been rosy in the garden as key defender Dan Burn sustained a nasty back injury against the Gunners which may be set to keep him out of action for a while.
Dan Burn injury latest
Burn landed awkwardly on his back during the first half and struggled until the interval before swiftly being replaced during the break by £40m summer signing Tino Livramento. Howe admitted that the injury “looks worrying” and now the 31-year-old is a doubt for Newcastle’s crucial European bout away at Dortmund on Tuesday.
Losing the £13m man will be a huge blow for the Magpies with some key games on the horizon after having a “ridiculous impact” at St. James’ Park, according to former Celtic frontman Frank McAvennie.
Burn is the second left-back to pick up an injury at Newcastle United over the past week after Matt Target pulled his hamstring two minutes into the side’s midweek game at the Theatre of Dreams and is facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
Nevertheless, there is another option that Howe can explore in order to ensure the Newcastle defence keeps their solidity in Burn’s absence.
How Newcastle can soften the injury blow
Kieran Trippier has had yet another tremendous season in the North East, having featured 15 times for the Magpies and registering seven assists in all competitions, including six in the Premier League. Only Wolves star Pedro Neto has earned more across the entire division.
The former Tottenham Hotspur man has played at right-back in every single game under Howe in the 2023/24 campaign, according to Transfermarkt. Nonetheless, with Burn likely to be out with a back problem, the head coach could look to use his £120k-per-week defender on the opposite flank for once.
Right back
381
9
70
Right midfield
50
1
13
Left back
1
0
1
Stats via Transfermarkt.
Trippier has previously had experience at left-back. While the right side is his preferred area of dominance, heavy competition from the likes of Reece James, Kyle Walker and Trent Alexander-Arnold has compelled England manager Gareth Southgate to put Trippier on the left during certain games.
Trippier’s most infamous game at left-back came during the Three Lions’ win over Croatia in EURO 2020 two years ago. The fullback’s impressive display led Southgate to call him a “warrior” and even a “defensive animal”.
During that 1-0 victory against Croatia, Trippier ended the game with an 85% passing accuracy, having completed 14 balls into the final third and was dispossessed just once during proceedings. Furthermore, the former La Liga champion won 50% of his ground and aerial duels, completed five ball recoveries and had one interception, as per FotMob.
In an unfamiliar environment, Trippier thrived and could be the glaring solution to Newcastle United’s left-back crisis, with Livramento, who won the Man of the Match award in midweek against Manchester United, coming in on the right for the time being.
