Sunderland v Newcastle United: Can O'Neill beat Pardew to the bragging rights?
Forget Arsenal v Spurs, Celtic v Rangers and even Barcelona v Real Madrid. There's only one derby that matters in the north east and this is it. This is the game that really matters and everyone from the fans and the players to the managers themselves want to win.
The Tyne-Wear derby is one of the fiercest games in English football and the atmosphere inside the Stadium of Light is going to be electric as Martin O'Neill and Alan Pardew vie for the all important bragging rights.
Sunderland go into the game two points behind their rivals but they will fancy their chances of winning here. The Black Cats haven't lost at home this season while Newcastle are still searching for their first win away. But what a place it would be to get it for Alan Pardew.
Newcastle have the edge in recent meetings, having only lost one of their past 15 clashes. However that one defeat did come at the Stadium of Light in 2008 and they needed a late goal from the Mackem Slayer Shola Ameobi last season at St James Park to level against a Sunderland side that ended the game with nine men.
Apart from the emergence of summer signing Steven Fletcher, Sunderland fans have not had too much to get excited about this season. They will be hoping O'Neill unleashes their full potential this afternoon.
Newcastle United have not come out of the blocks the way they did last season, but in Ba and Cisse, they have two strikers who can score from anywhere. If Sunderland can keep them quiet, they may have a chance of breaking Geordie hearts.
Sunderland v Newcastle United; Kick Off 1.30pm October 21 2012
Prediction Panel
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Arsenal |
Josh Ben Moshe |
1 |
V |
2 |
|
Aston Villa |
Frank Pattison |
1 |
V |
1 |
|
Chelsea |
Joe Tyler |
1 |
V |
2 |
|
Everton |
Chris Goodwin |
1 |
V |
2 |
|
Fulham |
Neil Springate |
1 |
V |
1 |
|
Liverpool |
Dave Disciascio |
2 |
V |
2 |
|
Man City |
Callum Rothwell |
1 |
V |
2 |
|
Man United |
Alex Richert |
0 |
V |
1 |
|
Newcastle |
Greg Hall |
1 |
V |
2 |
|
Norwich |
Sue Read |
2 |
V |
3 |
|
QPR |
John Jaycock |
1 |
V |
2 |
|
Reading |
Jon Keen |
1 |
V |
1 |
|
Southampton |
Andy Saunders |
1 |
V |
1 |
|
Stoke City |
Jack Heaney |
1 |
V |
2 |
|
Sunderland |
Tony Ratton |
1 |
V |
1 |
|
Swansea |
Jim Barry |
3 |
V |
2 |
|
Spurs |
Mike Richards |
TBA |
V |
TBA |
|
West Brom |
Andy Wakeman |
2 |
V |
1 |
|
West Ham |
Matt Beeby |
1 |
V |
1 |
|
Wigan |
Jimmy Shine |
2 |
V |
2 |
|
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OUR EXPERTS |
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|
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Writer |
Colin Illingworth |
1 |
V |
2 |
|
Writer |
Steve Coulter |
1 |
V |
2 |
|
Writer |
Hugh Larkin |
2 |
V |
2 |
|
Writer |
Mitch Waddon |
1 |
V |
1 |
|
Writer |
Chris Pettitt |
2 |
V |
2 |
|
Writer |
Sarshar Hosseinnia |
3 |
V |
1 |
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Blackburn fan |
Terry Kennedy |
1 |
V |
1 |
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Bolton fan |
David Blackburn |
0 |
V |
0 |
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Boro fan |
Sue Gardener |
1 |
V |
3 |
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Pompey fan |
Dan Taylor |
1 |
V |
1 |
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Pompey fan |
Peter Rendle |
1 |
V |
2 |
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West Ham fan |
Nigel Telfer |
1 |
V |
1 |
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Wolves fan |
Chris Cox |
2 |
V |
1 |
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Editor |
Antony Melvin |
0 |
V |
0 |
Panel Verdict
It could be honours even.
Home: 4; Draw: 16; Away: 13. TBA 1.
* Do we have it right or do you know better? We’d love to hear from you.
