Eddie Howe vowed that he would not allow Newcastle’s defeat in the Wear‑Tyne derby at Sunderland on Sunday to define his side’s season.
“It’s a horrible feeling, it’s very painful,” said Howe, whose inconsistent team were sunk by Nick Woltemade’s spectacular second-half headed own goal. By way of exacerbating his distress, Sunderland’s players rubbed salt in visiting wounds by posing for a celebratory group picture on the pitch at the end. That was a riposte to the events of January 2024 when Howe’s assistant, Jason Tindall, ordered Newcastle’s players to pose for a similar photograph after a 3-0 FA Cup win at the Stadium of Light.
