A draw would have been a fair result based on the way the match went overall today, though that would have felt like a defeat.
So to actually lose this….well, you know how it feels.
Sunderland were terrible first half, they were there to be beaten.
The visitors hoofed it forward and relied on long throw-ins as their main/only threat.
Newcastle United could and should have been a couple up by the break.
A superb Lewis Hall cross saw Elanga head just over.
The Mackems then gifted United the opener as the keeper and O’Nien made a total mess of a goal-kick, Woltemade did really well to cut out the attempted clearance, Gordon doing even better with his finish.
Elanga had a very good position but shot just wide of the near post instead of across goal when he would likely have scored.
Sven Botman very unlucky to see his header late in the first half striking the post, with the keeper well beaten.
Newcastle United could and should have been at least a couple up by the half-time whistle, even though it felt like they had never really got going. Sunderland so poor, they had effectively handed the game to United.
I think for me, the story of the match, was that without both Bruno and Tonali, we never really at any time dominated the middle of the pitch. It wasn’t that Sunderland dominated the centre of midfield either, it was more it ended up bypassed most of the time. Sunderland hitting it long to Brobbey, whilst United saw most of their attempted attacking play going down the sides of the pitch.
The second half kicked off much as the first ended, not great quality from either side and every sign the game was going to continue to drift to what you often get in derbies. A low quality game won by one moment, one mistake, one good finish.
Brobbey had been Sunderland’s best player, having a right battle with Botman and Burn when the ball was repeatedly hit long to him.
Not saying that then this moment changed the match but it certainly didn’t help Newcastle.
Botman and Brobbey challenging for the ball and the Sunderland forward accidentally kicking his countryman in the face/head. After lengthy treatment on the pitch, Botman having to go off and be replaced by Thiaw.
I think probably the delay was the bigger factor, rather than the forced change of personnel, as Sunderland got going again quicker than Newcastle. As not long after the restart, Sunderland forced a corner on the right, Ramsdale a feeble attempt to punch it away, then as United defenders scrambled to block, Talbi eventually forced it home.
The remainder of the game was all a bit of a mess.
Sunderland gained confidence from the equaliser and were the better team for ten minutes or so, before then Newcastle got going again (by the standards of this performance!) and began to get in and around the Mackem penalty area. Gordon put a couple of efforts over the bar, Murphy had one straight at the keeper, whilst Thiaw headed home from a corner! Sadly, as Thiaw headed home, Murphy was seemingly shown to be in a marginally offside position and deemed to be in the line of vision of the keeper.
The winning/losing goal came on 90 minutes and it kind of summed up the match, Sunderland allowed far too much space in the box, not great marking , Brobbey forcing it home at the second attempt.
That goal initially came from a promising United attack when instead of running with the ball, Willock played a long ball across the pitch that was easily intercepted.
Eddie Howe rang the changes in the second half and used six subs, including the concussion sub, Thiaw for Botman.
Nobody though able to stamp any proper quality or authority on the game and it faded to the eventual 2-1 defeat.
There is little doubt that the fact this was Newcastle’s 51st match of the season and only the 35th for Sunderland, played a part. Especially the 12 days ahead of the derby seeing Sunderland play once and Newcastle three times, including two energy sapping games against Barcelona. However, United should still have had enough to beat this lot.
A shame that this match wasn’t three weeks later, after the international break, with three weeks rest and recovery and the likes of Bruno, Tonali, Miley and Schar back.
Injuries and so many matches catching up with Newcastle United, yet this is where we want to be, playing loads of extra games in other competitions, especially the Champions League. I think bottom line is that we don’t have the depth of squad to be able to do so, unless luck shines on NUFC with minimal injuries. With PSR/SCR restrictions, it is very difficult (impossible) for the likes of Villa and Newcastle to have the depth of squad that would allow them to properly compete in both the Premier League and Champions League in the same season.
Time now to attack the final seven matches and at the same time, start planning for the summer and beyond.
Newcastle 1 Sunderland 2 – Sunday 22 March 2026 12pm
Match Stats
Goals:
Newcastle United:
Gordon 10
Sunderland:
Talbi 57, Brobbey 90
Possession was Newcastle 60% Sunderland 40%
Total shots were Newcastle 16 Sunderland 17
Shots on target were Newcastle 4 Sunderland 7
Corners were Newcastle 9 Sunderland 5
Touches in the opposition box Newcastle 22 Sunderland 29
Newcastle team v Sunderland:
Ramsdale, Trippier (Livramento 65), Botman (Thiaw 54), Burn, Hall, Ramsey, Joelinton, Woltemade (Willock 65), Elanga (Jacob Murphy 65), Gordon (Wissa 89), Barnes (Osula 76)
Unused subs:
Pope, Alex Murphy, Neave