The Tyne-Wear derby is once again near and with both teams threatened by relegation, this is seen by many as the most important game between the two sides for many years. A win for Sunderland should keep them out of the dreaded relegation zone and also extend their run to seven straight wins against their rivals. It’s going to be a very stressful afternoon for both sets of fans but here are four ways Sunderland can defeat Newcastle again.
Set pieces
Set pieces can often make the vital difference in games such as this and in Wahbi Khazri, Sunderland have a player who can deliver a dangerous ball into the box. If Khazri can put the ball into dangerous areas then it could cause all sorts of problems for United’s already fragile defence. Sunderland also have other players who are a threat from set pieces, Lamine Konè has already shown against Manchester United, when he scored, that he is a threat in the oppositions area. Elsewhere 6 feet 5 inch German Jan Kirchhoff and Younes Kaboul for example have the potential to give the Magpies a difficult afternoon.
Put the Newcastle defence under pressure
Time and time again Newcastle have shown how fragile they are in defence. They are often disorganised and deprived of confidence. If you run at them like the likes of Bournemouth and Chelsea have done recently, goals will more than likely come.
Jack Colback is currently having to fill in at left-back and many Sunderland supporters will know from experience that although he is left-footed, this is not his natural position. If Sunderland use either Khazri or Fabio Borini to attack him, then the Black Cats could potentially get a lot of joy down that side of the pitch.
The Magpies defenders often play too far apart, which creates gaps which the likes of Defoe can exploit. Rafa Benitez will obviously have pinpointed this as an area that needs to improve quickly, but will he have had the time to change their ways? Old habits die hard.
Dominate the early stages and their fans could turn
Newcastle fans, like their Sunderland counterparts, will be in full voice before the game but if Sunderland can frustrate them in the early minutes of the game and restrict their opponent’s attacks, then the Newcastle fans can and will become quickly frustrated. As they showed against Bournemouth recently, they, the fans, were booing their own team after just 10 minutes. If the same happens again, then the Black Cats will have a huge advantage for the rest of the game.
Be positive
If Sam Allardyce is positive in his approach at St James’ Park then playing both Fabio Borini and Jermain Defoe could cause panic to both the Newcastle team and their fans.
Both players have history against the Magpies. Fabio Borini during his year loan spell back in 2013-14 scored a great winner at the Stadium of Light and at St James’ Park later in the season, confidently dispatching a penalty in a 0-3 victory. Defoe, on his Wear-Tyne derby debut scored a sensational long range effort to secure the three points.
Newcastle do not score a lot of goals (28 goals in 29 games) only bottom of the table Aston Villa have scored less in the Premier League so far. If Sunderland can keep that elusive clean sheet that Sam Allardyce keeps talking about, then their seventh victory in a row over their rivals could become reality
Sunderland legend and former captain Charlie Hurley recently had this to say on the upcoming derby, “It’s massive and this will be one of the biggest north-east derbies ever,” said Hurley. “They’re both struggling and I don’t like to see either side doing badly, but I would like to see Sunderland just creep up the league, now is the time. When you play Newcastle and you get a result it gives everyone a great big boost; when I played Alan Brown (the then Sunderland manager) never needed a team talk because the players and the fans wanted to beat Newcastle.”
Rafa Benitez is under no illusions how tough the derby and the rest of the season will be, “We have to fix these things, we have the derby and it’s not easy but the fans can make the difference. Our fans are crucial for us.“ Benitez will be desperate to get off to a good start in first home game and conquer the streak, however he has no experience of this derby or in fact a relegation battle. Sam Allardyce on the other hand has been there, seen it and survived relegation battles.
Sunderland have the upper hand with regards to recent derbies and this will surely be on the minds of Newcastle players and fans. In recent seasons, the men from Wearside have kept their very best for the games against their rivals but the pressure is on them just as much as it is on Newcastle. Black Cats fans will be giving it their all whether it be from the stands or in front of a TV and they will have everything crossed that come full time the three points belong to them and they have improved their chances of surviving once more.
