EDDIE HOWE has revealed he selected Dan Burn ahead of Sven Botman for yesterday’s 1-1 draw with Bournemouth because he felt his side needed the former’s superior “leadership qualities”.

Botman was one of Newcastle’s flagship summer signings, with the Dutch centre-half turning down an offer from AC Milan in order to join the Magpies from Lille.

However, the 22-year-old has started just four of Newcastle’s opening seven league matches, and was an unused substitute on Saturday as Howe’s side recorded their fifth draw of the campaign.

“We managed their load in the week where we had three games, so (yesterday) was bringing Dan back,” said Howe. “I just feel his leadership skills and his experience, we need that in our team at the moment.

“Sven is going to be an outstanding player and will play many, many games for this club. We love him to bits, but Dan just gets the nod at the moment.”

With no game next weekend because of the international break, Howe will give his non-international players some time off at the start of the week before they reconvene to begin their preparations for the return to action against Fulham on October 1.

The trip to Craven Cottage kicks off a hectic spell before the Premier League breaks for the World Cup in mid-November, with Howe admitting the next two months will determine the extent of Newcastle’s ambitions for the second half of the campaign.

“We’ll give them a bit of time off at the beginning of next week, and a chance to just regroup mentally,” he said. “It’s a very busy period when we return, and it’s going to be a key spell before the World Cup. How well we do in this next group of games will be very important.”