Pundits Joe Cole and Shay Given have both made the same point about Newcastle United’s Dan Burn in the Champions League win over Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday night.
The Magpies opened the scoring through Burn, who directed a brilliant bullet header in off the upright from Kieran Trippier’s free-kick on 11 minutes.
Newcastle then doubled their lead in the early stages of the second half as Harvey Barnes set up Joelinton to head past Unai Simon.
Burn’s goal was especially impressive due to the connection, power and trajectory – there was an unusual amount of curl for a header.
Cole and Given could barely believe what they saw from the Blyth-born titan.
Joe Cole and Shay Given both say Dan Burn’s header is among the best they’ve seen
Burn came in unmarked from the left-hand side of the penalty box to meet Kieran Trippier’s cross, which arrived from around 45 yards out.
Aside from the clean connection and the power, the curl Burn managed to place on it was a thing of beauty.
“I don’t think I’ve seen a bullet header with spin on it,” Cole said on TNT Sports. “That’s one of the best headers I’ve ever seen.
“Dan Burn just ran through it. He’s got a sizeable head on him as well, so it went off at a velocity, it was brilliant.”
Newcastle cult hero Given also said Burn’s goal was right up there among the very best, saying: “Look at that header. Wow. Bend it like Burn!
“I don’t think we’ll see a better header ever in the Champions League.
“He’s curled it into the corner with his head. A fantastic celebration as well.”
What Dan Burn said about his goal
After the game, Burn suggested he was relieved, saying he felt he was “due one for a while” and admitting it was a “one in 100” type of goal.
“I’ve been due one for a while and the ball came in and I decided to head it as hard as I could,” said Burn. “Luckily it went in the far corner.
“We’ve been working on that, we knew we’d have a bit of space. Sometimes that one in 100 goes in, but I’ll take that. It was a good header.
“I’ll be straight on my phone to have a look now.”
