Premier League LIVE: Sunderland vs Newcastle, Palace vs Man City, Forest vs Spurs & West Ham vs Villa
The North East is firmly back on the mappublished at 13:17 GMT
Sunderland v Newcastle (14:00 GMT)
Ciaran Kelly
BBC Sport reporter at the Stadium of Light
Image source, Getty Images
This is a game 3,556 days in the making.
Finally, after nearly a decade, Sunderland and Newcastle
United renew hostilities in the Premier League.
And this feels like a new era.
Whereas these rivals were circling the drain in their most
recent top-flight meetings, now they meet as sides with ambitious owners,
progressive managers and a plethora of international players.
Fearless Sunderland have certainly not looked like a
newly-promoted side under Regis Le Bris.
They are undefeated at home. They have already beaten Chelsea
and drawn against Arsenal, Aston Villa and Liverpool. And they have shown
remarkable spirit to come from behind and score a host of late goals.
No wonder Newcastle sit a point below their arch-rivals in
the table.
This trip across the divide feels like a real mentality test
for the visitors, who have struggled to see games out of late, and it promises
to be a particularly special atmosphere as Sunderland fans pay tribute to club legend Gary Rowell, who died on Saturday.
But Newcastle have always tended to relish the big games
under Eddie Howe and this feels like a chance for this group to make fresh
history, by securing a first top-flight win at the Stadium of Light since 2011.
This certainly won’t be dull. It feels like the North East
is truly back on the map with the eyes of the world watching on.
