Don’t miss Louise Taylor’s match report:
But also, don’t miss Spurs v Forest live:
Or indeed matchday live:
Thanks for reading, and special thanks to all today’s emailers.
Goodbye for now.
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Who is leading the race for the Premier League golden boot, I hear you cry?
We’ve got the latest right here, with Brian Brobbey now on six league goals this season, as is Anthony Gordon, who opened the scoring for Newcastle.
Brighton and Liverpool both went agonisingly close to snatching victory late on as they provided a tense finish to their goalless stalemate, but both sides had to settle for a draw that edges Liverpool slightly further away from the drop zone.
In a game that was low on final-third quality and one where the highlights reel would probably begin in the 89th minute, the closest both sides came to winning it came in the final moments of the contest.
Landon Crow emails: “As an American Sunderland fan, I am VERY happy about this result.”
Fair. After you’ve read Louise Taylor’s Newcastle v Sunderland match report, it’s time for a smattering of Women’s Super League news …
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As recently as Friday morning Eddie Howe talked about some results having “bigger consequences than others”. This was most definitely one of them.
In completing a Premier League double against Newcastle, Régis Le Bris’s promoted Sunderland surely consigned Howe and his players to one of their most chastening afternoon’s at St James’ Park.
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The equally estimable Xaymaca Awoyungbo is on the matchday live blog right now, mainly building up to the Rumbelows Cup final:
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His Majesty’s Sky Sports are switching to Spurs v Forest now, which means no reaction from Newcastle 1-2 Sunderland on my telly.
The estimable Rob Smyth has Spurs v Forest here, which should be a belter.
Hats off to Sunderland and Le Bris for that impressive team effort. There’s even a touch of peak Mourinho-era sides, in how well they fight for each other and how well they stick to the plan.
Sunderland’s goalscoring heroes, Chemsdine Talbi (right) and Brian Brobbey.
“I never played at a (remotely) high level, but is Livramento’s abdication of Brobbey as bad as it looked?” emails Alexander. “Left him six feet away for the first shot, didn’t move once he received the ball and still hadn’t moved after Ramsdale’s save and the ball bounced directly to Brobbey.”
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Ramsdale being criticised for failing to deal with Xhaka’s corner for Sunderland’s first goal. It was a wickedly inswinging corner worthy of Ian Woan in his pomp. But still, he probably should have caught it.
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Jeremy’s pre-match prediction was as follows: “I’m expecting a grindingly hard-watch 1-1 draw, VAR a-go-go.”
So close!
Full-time: Newcastle 1-2 Sunderland
Well, what drama. And far from an undeserved win from Sunderland. O’Nien can hardly believe it – he has his head in his hands!
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97 min: Sunderland have been the better team second-half and have played some nice stuff. Brobbey was individually superb. Daylight Brobbery is still fantastic though.
Sunderland’s intensity in defence has been impressive. That’s the sort of thing that gets you 43 Premier League points in late March.
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96 min: “Daylight Brobbery,” emails Justin. “Some headlines write themselves. Nien? Sorry, Nein?”
Lol, is all I can say to that.
90 min +4: Hall hits a free-kick from distance. Ellborg turns it out for a corner. Can Sunderland make it 11 unbeaten in the league in this prestigious fixture?
90 min +3: We will have seven added minutes minimum. Sadiki and then Geertruida are booked. Can Newcastle save a point, which would be worth so much more than a point in the context of the season?
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Xhaka starts the move from deep with a very good, searching pass down the middle. Then it is a touch of quality from the recently-introduced Le Fee that creates the goal, bursting to the byline and cutting back for Brobbey. The Dutch forward’s initial effort bounces back off Ramsdale, but he gets another bite at it, and clips it into the net. As stated Brobbey has been very good all day and no one can begrudge him that goal. Disaster for Newcastle, disaster for Eddie Howe.
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Goal! 90 min: Newcastle 1-2 Sunderland (Brobbey)
It’s a goal! For Sunderland! Brobbey’s been excellent and he deserves it.
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88 min: Wissa on, Gordon off for Newcastle. Jason Tindall, never less than prominent, stands with his arm around Wissa before the forward comes on, no doubt encouraging him to take his chance in the limited time available.
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87 min: Eddie Howe is about to bring on Yoanne Wissa. He’s sitting with the former Brentford man in the dugout now, and taking him through some tactical instructions on his iPad.
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84 min: According to Sky Sports, Geertruida of Sunderland has reported being racial abused from the St James’ Park stands. The referee was discussing the matter with the Sunderland staff a few minutes ago.
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83 min: It’s all very scruffy. Sunderland are relentless in not allowing Newcastle to settle. Their intensity off the ball is impressive.
Now, Brobbey tees up Diarra with a measured pass. Diarra’s powerful shot is blocked. Talbi then has a crack from distance.
Diarra is taken off, Enzo Le Fee comes on.
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82 min: All hands on deck for Newcastle in defence. The ball is rolling around worryingly for a while. Two Sunderland players then appear to tackle each other on the edge. Then Alderete is booked for a foul on Osula.
80 min: Willock releases Gordon with a good diagonal pass. Gordon gets the ball under control, cuts inside, and blazes a shot over. Howe holds his head in his hands by the dugout. We’ve got 10 minutes plus stoppages (which will be lengthy.)
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78 min: Osula is on for the Magpies for Barnes. There’s a lull in the stadium after the euphoria of the disallowed goal for Thiaw.
We thought Sunderland would give a decent account of themselves … but they’ve exceeded expectations given the injury problems and the very indifferent form they’ve shown recently.
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Disallowed goal for Newcastle! (Thiaw)
It’s there! Or is it? VAR will check Thiaw’s header … Is it handball? Is Murphy interfering with the goalie? It’s no goal. The celebrations were passionate, as you’d expect, but the VAR has intervened and we are all square. Nil-nil, lads! Or in fact one-one.
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74 min: Livramento wins a corner for Newcastle. Will Osula is about to come on.
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72 min: Rigg makes inroads for Sunderland from the right and finds Brobbey with a ball to feet. The Dutchman has his back to goal but does well – yet again – to turn and shoot. It’s blocked from point-blank range by his marker. Brobbey has been good.
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70 min: Barnes scuffs a first-time shot horribly from the edge after a long throw for Newcastle … but it takes a massive deflection and nearly sneaks into the net!
Newcastle win a corner, Burn is up there, nearly under the crossbar in a crowded penalty area – Ellborg, again unconvincingly, manages a bit of contact on the ball and Sunderland survive.
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69 min: Sunderland’s Sadiki smashes a shot at Ramsdale from inside the box! Ramsdale fists it clear! Nervy times for Newcastle. There is another goal in this game. Newcastle are looking threatening at the other end to boot.
66 min: Now the super-sub Murphy digs out an excellent cross from the right, looking for Barnes. O’Nien does well to head it clear. That was a class, Beckhamesque cross, with plenty of whip on it.
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65 min: A good move from Howe to mix it up, you feel. Momentum was slipping and Sunderland were in the ascendancy.
Murphy proves the point by banging a shot from outside the box that warms the hands of Ellborg. He beats it out for a corner, somewhat unconvincingly.
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64 min: Trippier elicits a groan from home fans with a poor pass intended for Elanga.
TRIPLE SUB! Jacob Murphy, Joe Willock and Tino Livramento come on for Newcastle. Woltemade off along with Elanga and Trippier.
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63 min: No, Sunderland in fact take the corner short. Xhaka exchanges passes with a teammate and bends in a cross that Burn heads clear.
62 min: Xhaka is afforded time and space to hit a powerful shot from distance. It rifles off Ramsey and out for a corner … Xhaka can try another inswinger from the set-piece.
60 min: “The problem with confidence is it is like a little flower: if you step on it, it is away in a second - it is much more difficult to let it grow than to let it die.” (Jurgen Klopp).
Will Newcastle’s confidence now crumble as memories of their midweek pasting at the Camp Nou come flooding back? This is a big half an hour for Eddie Howe.
Goal! 57 min: Newcastle 1-1 Sunderland (Talbi)
Xhaka hits an excellent inswinging corner from the Sunderland right. Ramsdale can only punch it half-clear. Hume sends the ball goalwards on the half-volley, from near the penalty spot, where Diarra tries to chest it over the line, lurking by a post … the ball then breaks to Talbi who tucks it into the net from close range! Sunderland in dreamland!
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56 min: Brobbey does excellently to win a header from a long ball. Rigg is thus able to belt a shot at Ramsdawl from an angle. The goalie deflects it behind for a corner …
55 min: Feels like a long time since we saw any football. Hope Botman is OK, of course. Sunderland fans will be complaining about time-wasting, no doubt.
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53 min: Botman cannot continue. He walks off, very slowly, as Malick Thiaw comes on for Newcastle. It’s a concussion substitution, and it seems the ref is now explaining that to Le Bris and his Sunderland staff.
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51 min: Botman of Newcastle is down injured and getting treatment. A head knock?
“With so many teams faltering at the close of the season, turning the race for European football into a slow bicycle race, both teams surely know what a victory today will mean,” emails Kári Tulinius.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if Sunderland start taking risks, and Newcastle will look to punish them for that.”
A slow bicycle race … Mark Lawrenson used to call that “After you Claude” on Football Focus.
50 min: As long as Sunderland don’t lose o-nine.
49 min: “Hi Luke,” writes Richard.
“Oh Justin, nein!”
Justin, before half-time, said “O’Nien” means “Oh no!” in German. It’s close enough.
48 min: O’Nien sends in a high cross. Then he sends in a low cross. Those followed another long throw. He’s certainly trying to make amends for his first-half mistake.
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46 min: Rigg crosses for Brobbey, who wins the ball well in the air and nods it back across goal. But there is no one there and Geertruida appears to complain that Brobbey didn’t send the header in his direction. Now, O’Nien will launch yet another long throw …
Second-half kick-off
Lock and load.
Rob Smyth has Tottenham v Forest here:
Emillia Hawkins has matchday live – including Milk Cup final buildup:
And here’s some more pre-final reading:
Half-time! Newcastle 1-0 Sunderland
That was lively. Did Sunderland get punished for trying to waste a bit of time via Luke O’Nien’s howler, after a goal kick was taken short? I couldn’t possibly comment.
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45 min: Hall hits the free straight at Ellborg.
44 min: Hume is booked. We’ll have a minimum of two minutes added.
“The last man to make a huge error in this fixture was the popular Woltemade, who took the brickbats with the good grace to be expected of a man whose German name translates roughly as ‘of a pleasant disposition.’” emails Justin Kavanagh. “Today’s villain, O’Nien, although British, has a Germanic-sounding surname which simply means Oh No in that language!”
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43 min: Off the woodwork from Newcastle! Hall crosses dangerously from the hosts’ left and a headed effort by Botman cannons off the far post!
Next up, Sunderland have more defending to do, and there are a few handbags after a cynical foul on a flying Elanga by Hume. Xhaka and Joelinton make friends when it calms down.
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42 min: Woltemade releases Hall down the Newcastle left. He fires a low cross into the danger zone but Sunderland’s shape is good as always and they clear.
From the throw-in, Woltemade has half a chance to do something spectacular, controlling and turning and trying a half-volley but he miscues the shot.
40 min: Newcastle have another corner. Nothing comes of it. Sunderland, who to be fair to them are having a go, are immediately on the attack again. Talbi has another chance to shoot after a quick break, but it’s a scuffed effort that Burn thunders clear from around the six-yard box.
40 min: “An interested neutral here, based in Newcastle,” writes Em.
“So far NUFC clearly gonna be happier & I have sat on the fence predicting 1-1 but even with my heart full of neutrality, I do hope it’s not a Dan Burn mistake that costs NUFC the lead (and perhaps with it, it becoming his last top flight appearance at SJP after what’s been a bit of a Boys Own adventure career-wise).
”Also, be interesting to see how Le Bris tries to win the game, with SAFC being safe on 40 points (rather than not try to lose any worse than 1-0).”
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38 min: Trippier bends/floats the free-kick to the far post. Is he looking to catch the goalie out, or is he trying to set up a teammate? Either way he gets it wrong, and a valuable attacking position is wasted.
37 min: Barnes, who has perhaps been a bit anonymous, bustles past Geertruida on the Newcastle right wing, falls over and wins an arguably generous free-kick. Geertruida smiles ruefully at the decision.
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35 min: Trippier receives the ball in space in his left full-back position. He plays a clever curling pass, long down the line, looking to use Elanga’s pace. But Sunderland’s defence is well set and Talbi nabs the ball and clears the danger.
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34 min: We have a little over 10 minutes to go in this lively if somewhat disjointed first half. Here come Sunderland again …
31 min: Sunderland have a very good chance at the other end after Sadiki crosses and Brobbey pulls off a saucy dummy. Then it’s Newcastle hitting back immediately, Elanga escaping on their left, executing a lollipop, before firing left-footed into the side netting. A few fans on the other side may have fancied that was in the onion bag.
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30 min: Hall tries a cheeky backheel in the area after the corner. He fluffs it, but Gordon goes down in the vicinity under a challenge from Rigg, and the fans scream for a penalty. The VAR is having a look at it … and it’s no penalty.
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29 min: Joelinton takes the ball to the corner flag, wins a corner, and roars his delight to the fans as a result. Sunderland are soaking up plenty of pressure here. Newcastle are playing like they’ve got a point to prove.
28 min: From the edge of the penalty area and in plenty of space, Geertruida nods an angled ball over the top out for a corner, perhaps needlessly. Trippier takes the set-piece, Burn knocks it down at the far post, but Sunderland claim it.
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25 min: Geertruida tries to cross from the left for the visitors. It’s deflected to the Toon goalie, Ramsdale. Then Barnes is almost immediately threatening at the other end. But Sunderland snuff out the danger. It’s pretty lively stuff this. Newcastle are probably glad to be dealing with long throws and second balls rather than Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, Lewandowski et al.
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23 min: Xhaka sprays a fine pass out to Talbi on the Sunderland left. He runs goalwards, cuts in and bends a brilliant short that looks to be heading for the top corner … but Ramsdale manages to claw it out! From the resulting corner, Rigg blazes a shot high over the cross bar after a useful set-piece routine that saw the ball volleyed back into the danger area from beyond the far post.
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21 min: O’Nien sends a ball over the top. Burn cuts it out. Brobbey then commits a foul, again on Botman I think. It’s a bitty game thus far that lacks any kind of fluency, but it was always likely to be. The atmosphere is good and we’ve had an early goal, all right?
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20 min: O’Nien gets another long throw launched. But there’s a foul in the area on someone in black and white. Newcastle have a free-kick in their penalty area.
19 min: Aside from that earlier raid by Brobbey, when he was penalised (arguably harshly) for a foul on Botman, Sunderland haven’t shown much in attack. Unless you count the two long throws from O’Nien.
18 min: The ball falls to Jacob Ramsey on the edge after Newcastle’s latest corner. He hammers a volley into the crowded penalty area. It hits a body but there was an offside flag up.
17 min: Sunderland have steadied the listing ship somewhat since that defensive howler by O’Nien was pounced on by Gordon. Now the defender heads a cross clear for another corner to Newcastle …
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16 min: Burn pops up on the right wing for Newcastle, trying to play a one-two with Joelinton. But the Brazilian’s touch deserts him somewhat and Burn’s run down the line is all for nought.
14 min: O’Nien with another long throw in an advanced area for Sunderland. Burn climbs to nod it clear. Le Bris looks somewhat ashen-faced on the sidelines after that early concession, arms folded, brow furrowed.
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That’s absolutely dreadful from O’Nien. Melker Ellborg, the goalie, taps a goal-kick to the defender. He seems to panic somewhat and doesn’t think he has any option but to try and belt the ball long down the middle … but he gets no elevation on the kick and the ball is intercepted by the towering figure of Woltemade, on the edge of the box. Then it’s with Gordon, who skips away from the cover and buries a confident finish in the far corner. The home fans had been whistling and booing at some perceived time-wasting after their corner. But they are cheering now.
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Goal! 9 min: Newcastle 1-0 Sunderland (Gordon)
Horrible error in defence by Sunderland!
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9 min: “That’s a really poor decision - Brobbey didn’t foul Burn,” emails Joshua.
Meanwhile Newcastle have a corner … and the fans complain about some potential timewasting.
7 min: Anthony Taylor, the man on the whistle, goes to the dug-outs to tell them to calm down a bit (I think).
Sunderland then have a chance via a long throw from O’Nien, from their right wing, but Ramsdale snaffles it.
6 min: Brian Brobbey spins away from Sven Botman in an advanced area. Sunderland are suddenly in! But the referee brings it back for a foul he’s spotted by Brobbey on the Newcastle defender. There was a bit of shirt-pulling but it looked fairly even-stevens. Brobbey protests to the referee.
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5 min: Xhaka gives away a free-kick. Elanga then clashes with Trai Hume in an aerial duel. There’s a high foot from Elanga but nothing malicious.
3 min: Close! Very close! Hall whips in a super cross from wide left. Anthony Elanga times his run perfectly, and meets it with a powerful header from near the penalty spot that flies narrowly over the crossbar. What a start that nearly was for Newcastle …
2 min: Newcastle look to play out with Dan Burn. Chris Rigg produces a strong challenge on Lewis Hall around halfway. The hosts are able to attack down the left but the ball goes out for a goal kick to Sunderland.
1 min: Newcastle are in black-and-white. Sunderland are in blue-and-white.
The noise is … noisy. It’s loud. The fans are up for this, they really are.
First-half kick-off!
Allez!
Keep an eye out for Woltemade. His own-goal settled the meeting in December. Howe’s lineup is certainly attack-minded …
“So, 20 minutes to Bragging Rights, given that sitting 11th and 13th respectively, mid-table mediocrity is already assured,” writes Jeremy. “Pre-season, Toon had their sights set higher, as must the Black Cats after their flying start to their top-flight return. With nothing other than local issues to play for I’m expecting a grindingly hard-watch 1-1 draw, VAR a-go-go, coloured cards and Xhaka sent off, for being too Granite. I think most of the fun will be later on, at the Cheese Shop Stadium.”
Spurs v Forest? That will be a cracker. But this could also be a cracker too. I am contractually obliged to point that out.
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“It’s amusing how much different this edition of Tyne-Wear feels for this neutral,” emails Eric. “The novelty of it was overwhelming the first time around this season, in December - we’d gone without it for nine seasons (at least in the league), so for Sunderland to simply bring it back seemed like a big eff-you to their Champions League-living rivals all by itself. I figured at the time, best of luck, Black Cats, because they’d be fighting to avoid relegation if not already doomed to it when this reverse fixture rolled around. Forget the fact that they were somehow still top-half of the table. Promoted sides had gone 0-for-6 surviving that first year in the top tier the last two seasons so, hey, that was just the way of the world. So enjoy yourselves and go have a bit of local glory while it lasted, boys. Now, here we are, and Sunderland can actually leapfrog Newcastle in the table with a win? Really? And to do so the week of Newcastle’s ignominious exit from Europe? Are you serious?”
There has been some talk of Sunderland being fond of a bit of “professionalism” under Le Bris: time-wasting, diving and the like. Leeds fans certainly thought so earlier this month. What do you think? Mail me.
“We know Ballard is a great defender, but Luke is a good player, ready to go,” says the Sunderland manager Le Bris on Sky Sports.
“Injuries are part of the journey in the Premier League. The players with more opportunities have to step up. It’s not easy because the level is high. Togetherness is key. They [the more inexperienced players] have the opportunity to step up.
“We want to play the game, the occasion. After that, we’ll see.”
Le Bris is asked about the 1-0 win against in December.
“The first game was really important, key in our season I think, for us and for our fans.
“Today is a new scenario, a new game, and we want to be proactive. It’s going to be key to match their intensity and play with composure under pressure.”
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We are literally less than 20 minutes away from kick-off now.
Luke O’Nien was on the telly a while back, speaking interestingly of the “paradox” of this fixture for Sunderland players. They want to channel the emotion and help that to raise their performance level – but they also want to treat it like any other game.
Notable for a pre-match interview to contain an interesting thought. Well done and thank you, Luke O’Nien!
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“G’Day Luke, hope you’re well!” writes Chris Paraskevas.
“A Sunday evening kick-off means this result will be having a tangible impact on my mood this week / year / forever, at work, family functions and during unexpected visits from the parents.
“Us Newcastle fans have had a bizarre and bumpy season, and our position in the table doesn’t lie, owing to our inconsistent performances and multiple false dawns.
“I highly doubt this will be the procession pundits / commentators are calling for: Le Bris’ side are compact, hard working and work well as a unit. We will need to remain disciplined and do what we didn’t during the galling defeat at the Dark Place: fight for it. Anyway, I’ve got my lucky signed bedside portrait from The Mackem Slayer for good luck tonight.”
A signed photo of Shola Ameobi is attached.
Good luck Chris, and thanks for your email.
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On the subject of the Middle East war, it was notable that on Friday Pep Guardiola said “the world is going to collapse”, referencing the ongoing war, while sitting in front of an advert for Manchester City Yas Residences in Abu Dhabi. They have presumably seen a downturn in sales inquiries since it all kicked off.
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Louise continues …
“Arguably the biggest elephant in the room is the current war in the Middle East. How might the financial damage sustained by Newcastle’s majority owners, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, affect the club?”
Almost two decades have passed since Newcastle’s former owner, Mike Ashley, celebrated a Tyne-Wear derby win by gathering a group of club employees together and leading a conga into the St James’ Park boardroom. Sunderland’s then chair, Niall Quinn, and his fellow executives were already inside and responded with polite smiles as they, outwardly at least, failed to take offence. Perhaps fortunately, the visiting manager, Roy Keane, was elsewhere.
Fast forward 18 years and almost regardless of the score when Newcastle host Sunderland on Sunday, the only potential post-match boardroom invasion on the agenda involves a herd of elephants. For no one at Newcastle seems quite ready to spell it out yet, but when Eddie Howe’s team lost 7-2 – 8-3 on aggregate – at Barcelona on Wednesday night and the camouflaging distraction of a Champions League campaign was ripped away, a series of awkward questions resurfaced.
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How are you feeling out there, in Newcastle and Sunderland? You can mail me.
Note: You can email me from anywhere in the world, not just Newcastle and Sunderland.
“I think midweek was such a contrasting day of emotions,” Eddie Howe says of the Barcelona battering. “We played really well in the 1st half … it was a bad 45 mins for us, and there’s maybe been an overreaction to that.
“We were immediately focused on this game. Good recovery, good travel back, good preparation to make sure we’re ready.
“We’ve had quite a few things thrown at us this year, a lot of games. We know the importance of the game today. We’ll have to be at our very best.”
He is asked about the absent Sandro Tonali. “We’re running out of central midfielders. A slight reshuffle today. But I still like the team we’ve picked a lot of good attacking players in there.
“We’re at home. We like the players we’ve picked. We’ve got better with the ball through the season … we hope we can be good in attack again. Sunderland have defended well this season.
“Patience. We’re going to need a lot of qualities today. Set-pieces will be important. We’re going to have to get a lot right.”
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His Majesty’s Sky Sports have 10 hours of live football on today, including Tottenham v Forest, and the Milk Cup final. Jamie Carragher looks like he wants to go home already.
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Eddie Howe has asked his Newcastle players to approach the Tyne-Wear derby as if “their lives depend on winning it”. Howe is desperate to end not merely his club’s 10-game winless run in league meetings with Sunderland but avenge the December defeat at the Stadium of Light when Nick Woltemade’s spectacular own goal gave Régis Le Bris’s side victory. While much may be contingent on the psychological fallout of Newcastle’s 7-2 Champions League defeat at Barcelona on Wednesday night, injuries could also shape the outcome. While Howe is hoping Sandro Tonali can overcome a groin problem, Le Bris waits to see whether a raft of key players in Robin Roefs, Nordi Mukiele, Dan Ballard, Reinildo and Enzo Le Fée will be fit to start at St James’ Park. Goals have not exactly been free-flowing for Sunderland in recent weeks but their manager can only be heartened by Newcastle’s failure to keep a clean sheet in all but five of their last 35 games.
Teams
Sandro Tonali and Malick Thiaw are the two players to drop out of Eddie Howe’s starting lineup from the midweek encounter against Barcelona. Tonali has a hip or groin injury. Sven Botman and Nick Woltemade are in.
One change for Sunderland following last weekend’s defeat by Brighton: Luke O’Nien in, Dan Ballard out.
Newcastle (4-3-3): Ramsdale, Trippier, Botman, Burn, Hall; Ramsey, Joelinton, Woltemade; Elanga, Gordon, Barnes. Substitutes: Pope, Wissa, Thiaw, Osula, Livramento, Jacob Murphy, Willock, Alex Murphy, Neave.
Sunderland (4-1-4-1): Ellborg, Geertruida, O’Nien, Alderete, Hume; Xhaka; Rigg, Diarra, Sadiki, Talbi; Brobbey. Substitutes: Moore, Cirkin, Mayenda, Mandava, Isidor, Mukiele, Le Fee, Harrison Jones, Jenson Jones.
Referee: Anthony Taylor (Cheshire)
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Preamble
It’s a big week for Newcastle. Some might say massive. They initially gave an excellent account of themselves against Barcelona on Wednesday, trailing 3-2 after an enthralling first half. The second half did not go so well. Eddie Howe’s men were eventually beaten 7-2 on the night and 8-3 on aggregate, overwhelmed by Lamine Yamal, Raphinha and co.
The sporting challenge against Sunderland will be quite different – let’s be honest, they have a somewhat less free-flowing style than Barça – but if Eddie Howe’s side can achieve a first top-flight win against the Black Cats since 2010, the Camp Nou capitulation will be forgiven and forgotten.
Régis Le Bris and his Sunderland players arrive with the incentive that three points would see them leapfrog Newcastle: the Magpies are 11th, on 42pts, today’s visitors are 13th, sitting on the symbolic figure of 40. History is absolutely on Sunderland’s side, in that they have won seven and drawn three of the past 10 league meetings between these sides. Howe will hope history counts for nothing this afternoon.
Kick-off: 12pm GMT
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