Newcastle United v Sunderland - Tyne-Wear Derby - 1:30pm - Sky Sports 1

That_Guy

By far one of the most important derbies in years between both of these teams given where they lie in the table at this stage of the season.

Newcastle's recent record in this fixture is, well, garbage to say the least. Pardew and McClaren have tried and failed miserably but Newcastle have "done a Sunderland on it" and appointed a new manager before derby day.

Newcastle looked relatively better on Monday under Rafa Benitez's Newcastle.

The bitterness between Rafa and Sam Allardyce is pretty well documented at this stage which could make for interesting viewing if you're into that sort of thing.

On the pitch, Newcastle have been absolutely awful but looked the better team against a nervy looking Leicester on Monday night. Goals are lacking big time and our concession rate is staggering.

Sunderland haven't got the most amazing form but they're stringing results together and are managing to find the back of the net even in losses.

Form goes out the window or so they say but there really isn't a lot of form to begin with.

I've always maintained that the winner of this game will survive the drop and given Norwich's result today against West Brom, it really is a must win game for both teams.

cj maxx

I reckon Newcastle shoul be favourites but as you say form goes out the window

BoJack Horseman

Rafa vs Big Sam.

danger here.

Paully D

Newcastle will win and all but confirm Sunderland's relegation.

Six wins in a row for Sunderland in this fixture which itself is something I never thought I'd witness in my lifetime but 4 of those wins have come with a new manager bounce. Ironically it'll be Newcastle who finally benefit from same tomorrow.

I think I'll pop out for the afternoon and check for the inevitable defeat when I get back. I have less than no confidence in even picking up a draw tomorrow. The bookmakers have this one spot on.

BMMachine

im actually gutted this is on at the same time as Liverpool and I dont have two monitors.....

eagle eye

BMMachine wrote: »

im actually gutted this is on at the same time as Liverpool and I dont have two monitors.....

Open in two separate and have them side by side. Choose which game you want volume on whenever you wish.

eagle eye

Since that horrible creature who shall remain nameless joined Sunderland they have not lost to Newcastle.

Now that he is no longer at that club maybe the Indian sign has been removed. I fancy Newcastle for this one.

Paully D

Rodwell starts. :rolleyes:

Sunderland have never won a Premier League game in which he has started and it won't change today. The man is an utter coward and exactly the type of player you don't want in central midfield in this type of game. It's insanity starting him today over Cattermole or Larsson.

No O'Shea either which may be one of the worst selection decisions I've seen. He shouldn't be on the bench if he's not fit enough to play.

Enjoy the win Newcastle fans.

That_Guy

We don't really have battling midfielders as such but if we can put early pressure on Rodwell, we could win this midfield battle.

Tomagotchye

Must win for both teams. Let's see what rafa is about now.

Loser will be relegated

Duff

Genuinely feel sick. Howay.

That_Guy

I'll be back at half time... if I can bear to that is.

BobbyPropane

H'away the lads!

D_turbo

Come on the toon.

Sad to cisse on the bench over doumbia.

blueser

Tomagotchye wrote: »

Must win for both teams. Let's see what rafa is about now.

Loser will be relegated

It won't be quite that cut and dried come FT. Things will look fairly bleak for the losers though, granted. If I had to go for a result, I'd say a desmond (2-2). Both sides can't defend to save their lives.

BobbyPropane

****ting it already

GreNoLi

Only one winner here, the neutral.

I feel like there will be a red card in this game.

That_Guy

Colback needs to cop the fúck on.

BobbyPropane

Borini all over Colback

BobbyPropane

Townsend playing really really well, worrying.

GreNoLi

Defoe will be the difference, Mitrovic isn't the brightest.

martyos121

Ffs Sissoko.

blueser

Sunderland comfortably the better side so far, but they need to score. You'd have to assume that Newcastle won't be as poor for the whole game as they've been so far (don't remember the Mackems' defence having too many hairy moments so far).

SantryRed

Not really sure how Newcastle plan on scoring.

BobbyPropane

How is that a free?!?!

GreNoLi

Sunderland are less disjointed than newcastle so far.

blueser

SantryRed wrote: »

Not really sure how Newcastle plan on scoring.

That was a decent chance there, free kick right on the edge of the box. Shelvey didn't even make the keeper work though; a waste.

SantryRed

blueser wrote: »

That was a decent chance there, free kick right on the edge of the box. Shelvey didn't even make the keeper work though; a waste.

They need Wijnaldum further up the pitch. I'm not really sure of the point in having Shelvey and Wijnaldum as the holding 2.

blueser

How was Janmaat not booked there?

blueser

SantryRed wrote: »

They need Wijnaldum further up the pitch. I'm not really sure of the point in having Shelvey and Wijnaldum as the holding 2.

Fear of losing. Rafa being ultra cautious. Thing is though, they need to win, being at home.

martyos121

Colback is brainless to be doing that, could've been off.

cadete

That's it, don't deserve anything but relegation

Duff

Jesus Christ.

BobbyPropane

GERRIN!!!

That_Guy

We're gone. We're fúcking gone.

blueser

1-0 to the Mackems; Defoe. Fully deserved as well. They're the only side out there who seem to want to win. Newcastle have been pretty woeful so far, considering the importance of the game.

upandcumming

He's Jermaine man!

SantryRed

Terrible performance by the Newcastle players. Rafa needs to take a pint. Nothing is coming from the way they're set up at the minute.

GreNoLi

Hodgson should take Defoe to the euros, had a great season.

martyos121

No fcuking passion left in that squad at all.

I backed Rafa to do the job and stay up, but it's not looking likely at all now.

Bollocks.

That_Guy

Lack of movement is killing us in the final third AGAIN!!! Mitrovic winning great balls to play people in but nobody is taking the fúcking chance.

I'm sick. Fúcking sick.

cadete

Playing with 10 as usual, get that lazy prick sissoko off and saviet on and push gini up and go for it,

irishguitarlad

Mitrovic always works hard, its just a shame no one supports him.

Tomagotchye

Newcastle look set up to counter attack at home which suits Sunderland

We seriously need to drop a lot of players. Gigi, Sissoko, mitro...there is a reason we keep losing.

Game is over. We rarely have any fight from a goal down

That_Guy

How many times will Borini take a dive aswell? :rolleyes:

That_Guy

Playing on the counter is not working. We have to go for it. Gigi/Shelvy is not working together. I think the former has to come off, stick Perez on the left, get Sissoko off and maybe bring in De Jong/Saivet.

blueser

Tomagotchye wrote: »

Newcastle look set up to counter attack at home which suits Sunderland

We seriously need to drop a lot of players. Gigi, Sissoko, mitro...there is a reason we keep losing.

Game is over. We rarely have any fight from a goal down

Is it just me, or are your team very "flat" today? Maybe the obvious tension in the crowd is working its way down to the players?

GreNoLi

Kirkhoff and Khazri have been excellent for sunderland.

That_Guy

blueser wrote: »

Is it just me, or are your team very "flat" today? Maybe the obvious tension in the crowd is working its way down to the players?

I don't think they know what system they're supposed to be playing. It doesn't help when we have zero movement ahead of the ball.

We don't have the players/mental capacity to turn this around.

Tomagotchye

That_Guy wrote: »

I don't think they know what system they're supposed to be playing. It doesn't help when we have zero movement ahead of the ball.

We don't have the players/mental capacity to turn this around.

Movement is killing us. We haven't the players to defend at the back so we need to defend from the front. Commentary was right, Mitro wont run into the channels. He needs to pull centre backs wider so there is space for townsend and Sissoko to run direct at the goal. They've shown running is all they are useful for...let them then