In victory, there was one last act of revenge for Sunderland players to perform against the North East rivals they love to torment in the Premier League.
They twisted the knife with a fist-shaking, celebratory squad photo in front of their jubilant fans – a mocking hit back that was two years in the making.
Last time they met, Sunderland were rebuilding, and were hammered 3-0 on their own turf. Eddie Howe moved his usual dressing room victory picture – a tradition from his Bournemouth days – onto the public forum of enemy grass.
It was provocative, and designed to hurt the Wearside locals. But Wear-Tyne derby memories are long and revenge was served up after a red-hot finale full of skirmishes.
Only a Nick Woltemade own goal separated the tussling clubs. While there is excitement and wonder at the way Sunderland’s return to the top flight is unfolding, Howe’s campaign is on a knife edge, risking a negative swing in momentum and mood.
This was one of the worst derby performances from Newcastle.
Sunderland have now won seven of the last eight Premier League games against Newcastle, who have not won in 10 attempts dating back to 2011. That represents a problem for the Geordies as they struggle to get out of the bottom half with just one away win in eight games.
No such league worries for the Mackems who soar high and have an outside chance of finishing in the top seven if they maintain their unbeaten home record.
This is a precarious moment for Howe and Newcastle’s season. They are jaded by European action, yet their Champions League campaign has brought three wins in six games and a chance of qualifying for the knockout stages for the first time ever.
Their Carabao Cup defence is going well – a win against Fulham in midweek would claim another semi-final.
But their Premier League campaign is faltering, made rotten by dreadful away form. They’ve won only once, at Everton, and gained only six points on their travels
So let the Geordie inquest begin. A malfunctioning front three. The form, or lack of it, of Anthony Elanga. The lack of fight, emotion and control. It will be a bumpy few days.
“That is going to sting for a long time,” admitted Howe in an honest apology. “One big moment went against us, a bizarre goal to lose with. Criticism will be strong and it will hurt so much. I am sorry for our performance and the lack of goalmouth action. We were not good enough.
“One game will not define our season. It is a season of stops and starts. We have not got the momentum we want.”
The rarity of this rivalry added an edge if not footballing quality.
Not for almost 10 years had the cities met in the league after Sunderland’s tumble down the pyramid including four seasons in League One.
For that reason the return of one of the Premier League’s fiercest derbies was far from parochial. It put a global spotlight on a club rejuvenated on the pitch with a £167m summer spending spree to tear up last season’s promoted side with 14 new players.
Former co-owner and strike legend Niall Quinn would speak of Sunderland being in the top flight as the area’s shop window to the world. Even when the last league derby was held at the Stadium of Light in October 2015 – a 3-0 Mackem win – there wasn’t this scale of interest, with 10 foreign commentary crews and 200 media.
Outside the stadium an hour before kick-off, red and white flares and flags greeted Regis Le Bris’s players – and chants of “scum” aimed at the visitors.
A feisty welcome, yes, but a cauldron of hate would be overstating it. Sometimes the fear of losing these clashes quells the ferocity. As did an army of police, a helicopter escort and drones, keeping order on the front line. Real emotion came later in victory.
Thankfully there was no repeat of the peak animosity between these two, of Paolo Di Canio knee-slides and Bud the police horse, punched by a Tyneside fan.
Back in the 17th century the cities were divided by politics, royalist Newcastle opposed to Sunderland’s backing of parliamentarian rebels. The birth of this modern-day football skirmish, maybe, but these days more about Newcastle’s greater economic power in the region, Sunderland’s scrapping for recognition, and two ultra-loyal and passionate fanbases, united in wanting a team to match their fervour.
The home side dominated the early possession and pundit Gary Neville criticised Howe’s cautious tactics. Howe admitted: “Our plan was to be compact and solid. In the second half we changed and wanted to be more aggressive and front foot, but conceded immediately. Was there a bit of fatigue in our performance? Yes, but that is not an excuse.”
Newcastle sat deep, soaking up pressure, and when they did break it was without conviction and lacked precision in their crossing and final balls. Struggling £50m new signing Elanga repeatedly gave the ball away and England’s Anthony Gordon was off key.
There were elements of derby day blood and thunder to keep it bubbling in a scrappy first half. Nordi Mukiele was booked for a thundering 50-50 on Dan Burn which resulted in a trip to hospital with a potential broken rib and difficulties breathing.
But by that stage, the 40th minute, Newcastle’s xG was 0, and the home side’s 0.11, and the only real chance of the first half saw Dan Ballard nod over from Granit Xhaka’s cross.
It’s an occasion for heroes or villains, and the hope for a moment that creates the legend of the day to be remembered and relived for decades to come.
And so that moment came, and it will give Nick Woltemade nightmares.
Without any of their players having a shot on target, Sunderland were ahead a minute after the break, with Woltemade, the Germany striker, heading into his own net.
Mukiele threw in a cross to the front post causing Woltemade to stretch and power past Aaron Ramsdale. “I hope Nick won’t take it personally,” said Howe. “It was unfortunate and I don’t hold him responsible.”
Sunderland had something to protect. And Howe was seeing an argument to replace his entire front three, acting before the hour to bring on Jacob Murphy, Harvey Barnes and Joe Willock.
It was the 61st minute when Bruno Guimaraes had the visitors’ first shot on target, a long-range gamble. Wilson Isidor tested Ramsdale with Sunderland’s only shot on target, but still Newcastle failed to respond with anything clinical.
Le Bris said: “I am proud and happy. It was a well-deserved win and the lads were incredible. We showed a good level of maturity. We have to stay respectful. Enjoy it.”
In injury time there were multiple minor scraps and bouts of shoving as it boiled over, Fabian Schar at the centre. If nothing else proof both clubs matter again. Both are competing again. Both on the map in their Northern outposts.
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