After nearly a decade of awkward silence and tense glares down the A19, the North East will ignite once more as the Wear-Tyne derby finally returns.
Transfer News Blitz writer Ellie McDevitt takes a look back at the last five Premier League meetings – also known as Newcastle’s least favourite documentary series.
Spoiler: Newcastle supporters may wish to avert their eyes.
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Newcastle United 0–3 Sunderland (1 February 2014)
Sunderland rocked up to St James’ Park like a group of students returning to their old uni bar: loud, chaotic, and absolutely intent on causing problems.
Borini opened the scoring from the spot after Bardsley was clipped by Vurnon Anita, who defended the attack like someone trying not to spill a pint on a night out.
Moments later, Adam Johnson followed up a parried shot and made it 2–0, because Newcastle at the time defended rebounds the way toddlers defend their snacks: not very well.
Then Jack Colback – who would later join Newcastle just to emotionally confuse everyone – dispossessed Ben Arfa and slotted home the third. Another 3–0. Same place. Same trauma.
Newcastle United 0–1 Sunderland (21 December 2014)
‘Twas the season to be jolly.
Well, for Sunderland fans. Newcastle supporters got the festive equivalent of receiving a pair of socks and a Lynx Africa gift set.
In the 90th minute, Will Buckley found Adam Johnson, who smashed home the winner.
Poyet celebrated his third straight derby win like a man who knew that outside derbies, his team had the league form of a soggy breadstick.
Three wins in 17 games for Sunderland. One of them again at St James’. Tradition.
Sunderland 1–0 Newcastle United (5 April 2015)
New manager. Same curse.
Dick Advocaat took over, lost his debut match, and then – as is legally required of all new Sunderland managers – beat Newcastle in his second game. It’s basically in the contract.
Jermain Defoe then produced a volley so filthy that Tim Krul needed counselling afterwards.
The screamer was so good that Krul actually congratulated him in the tunnel.
A truly elite level of goalkeepering psychology.
Sunderland had been winless in eight. Only two home wins all season.
Enter Newcastle. Problem solved.
Sunderland 3–0 Newcastle United (25 October 2015)
The holy grail: six wins in a row. Six straight derby victories.
At this point, Newcastle fans were simply asking the universe what they had done to deserve this storyline.
Sam Allardyce joined the “lose your first match, win your second because it’s Newcastle” club. Another initiation complete.
Coloccini got himself sent off just before half-time, handing Johnson a penalty and handing Newcastle fans the urge to lie down in a dark room.
Billy Jones poked in a second like he’d been dreaming about it since childhood.
Then Steven Fletcher volleyed in the third to complete Newcastle’s annual 3–0 at the Stadium of Light.
A tradition more consistent than British weather.
Newcastle United 1–1 Sunderland (20 March 2016)
The end of the streak – but not the drama.
Defoe struck again before half-time because he simply refuses to understand the concept of ageing.
Alexander Mitrović equalised late on with a header so which saved Magpie fans from another year of torment.
It ended 1-1. The derby run snapped, everyone angry, nobody happy. A perfect derby, basically.
It was the last league meeting for years because both clubs decided to emotionally tap out and get relegated. Newcastle went first. Sunderland followed. A romantic gesture, really.
Fast-Forward to Now
Sunderland remain unbeaten at home this season, flexing their Stadium of Light fortress. Meanwhile, Newcastle recently picked up their first away league win since April at the Hill Dickinson Stadium – a sentence that would be more impressive if it didn’t sound like the name of a law firm.
Prediction: 2–1 Sunderland
Because history, chaos, and derby-day madness demand nothing less.
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