Eddie Howe expressed his delight at Dan Burn's spectacular header in Newcastle United's 2-0 Champions League win over Athletic Club on Wednesday but stopped short of saying it was better than his effort in last season's Carabao Cup final.
Burn's stunning 11th-minute curling header gave the hosts the lead before Joelinton wrapped up a win which went some way towards dispelling the horrors of Sunday's 3-1 Premier League defeat at West Ham.
Asked if Burn's contribution was even better than the picture-book header he scored in last season's cup final, Howe said: "Probably technically it is, but it will be very difficult for him to do something as magical and memorable as that.
"In terms of a technical header, that was an incredible finish."
Speaking after the match, Burn explained the move had been worked on in training.
"I've been due one for a while, and then when it came in, I decided I would head it as hard as I could. We've been working on it. We knew I'd have some space around the back. At least it was a good header." Burn told TNT Sports.
Howe also said he could not have dreamt of being level on points with Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid and Liverpool in the Champions League when he arrived on Tyneside.
Three days short of the fourth anniversary of his appointment at St James' Park, the 47-year-old saw his side claim a third win on the trot in the competition to take them to nine points from their first four games and leave them in esteemed company.
Asked if he could have imagined that the day he replaced Steve Bruce at the helm, Howe said: "That sounds nice, doesn't it? That does sound good.
"From the minute we walked in, I wouldn't have predicted that four years later. I probably wouldn't have predicted that I'd still be sat in the seat four years later, as much as I would have hoped that I would be.
"With the volatility in the game, there's no guarantee to anything, so I'm very, very proud to still be in this position and to be managing the team going forward.
"But there is a flip side to that. Obviously we've got work to do in the Premier League and we're well aware that we've got a big task ahead of us."
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Newcastle sit sixth in the table behind only Bayern Munich, Arsenal and Inter Milan -- who boast 100 percent records -- and Manchester City and PSG and they head for Marseille and Bayer Leverkusen knowing 11 points was enough to make the top 24 last season.
Howe will await an assessment of the hip injury which forced Anthony Gordon off before the break, which could impact his England status.
Information from PA contributed to this story.