Sunday 14th December 2025
Sunderland v Newcastle United – Premier League
Stadium of Light Kick-Off: 14:00
Tickets & Match Coverage
Tickets: Tickets are sold out.
TV/Stream: Full live match coverage is available via Sky Sports.
Radio: Full live match commentary available via BBC Radio Newcastle (not online)
Don’t forget to follow the blow-by-blow account of the game on the Roker Report Twitter feed (@RokerReport ) and check out the player ratings after the full-time whistle at www.RokerReport.sbnation.com!
The build-up…
It’s a few months short of a decade since we last took this lot on in the Premier League, but the fifteen games we’ve had so
far this season have all seemingly built up to this.
The gap between the two sides over the last seven years or so has arguably never been bigger, and it’s a good reminder that it was only around three-and-a-half years ago that we beat Wycombe to climb out of League One, and just shy of two years since we were shown how far we still had to come.
We now take on Newcastle, a point ahead of them in the Premier League table, as we approach the midway point in the season, and with an unbeaten record at home so far. We’ve played them in the play-offs in the past, and when both sides have been struggling at the wrong end of the table, but today feels like a victory would feel hugely symbolic.
Newcastle fans were likely feeling comfortable that we wouldn’t be around to compete for a long time to come. Still, the accelerated progress has led us from League One play-offs to competing as equals in under four years, and we’re making the most of it. Whatever happens, we know we’re back, but it would be the cherry on top of a stupidly big sundae if we collect three points today.
We’ve mentioned our unbeaten record at home, and Eddie Howe’s side had a timely reminder of what it feels like to win on the road a fortnight ago – as they beat a very poor Everton for their first win away from home this season. Three draws and three defeats make up the other six, and it remains their weakness on paper this season.
The expectations were high after collecting more than half the total of our summer outlay from Liverpool for Isak, but three wins in the first eleven fell short of what they hoped. Three wins and a draw in the last four have improved the picture, but they didn’t have it all their own way at home to Burnley last weekend, and the trip to Germany with Bayer Leverkusen scoring a late equaliser.
However, that occurrence in midweek isn’t anything new, with Newcastle conceding nine goals in the final ten minutes of games in all competitions this season. The goal in Germany had the players, manager, and pundits all questioning their mentality.
With the effort of midweek and the visit of Chelsea at the weekend, and a trip to Old Trafford coming quickly after that, they’ll know that their biggest test out of those could be today.
The betting…
The bookies have the Lads at 9/4 to win the game, while that lot are priced at 6/5, and the draw is 9/4.
Head to head… in Sunderland
(All competitions)
- Sunderland wins: 28
- Draws: 28
- Newcastle United wins: 22
- Sunderland goals: 111
- Newcastle United goals: 101
Last time we met… at the Stadium of Light
Saturday 6th January 2024
FA Cup Third Round
Sunderland 0-3 Newcastle United
[Ballard (OG) 35’, Isak 46’, 90’ (pen)]
Sunderland: Patterson, Hume, O’Nien, Ballard, Alese, Ekwah, Neil, Pritchard, Bellingham, Clarke, Rusyn (Ba) Substitutes not used: Bishop, Pembele, Seelt, Triantis, Rigg, Aouchiche, Hemir, Burstow
Newcastle United: Dubravka, Trippier, Burn (Dummett), Guimaraes, Schar (Lascelles), Botman, Almiron (Livramento), Longstaff, Isak, Joelinton (Miley), Gordon (Ritchie) Substitutes not used: Karius, Krafth, Hall
Attendance: 44,814
Prediction…
Sunderland 2-1 Newcastle United
Well, it’s usually a choice between 2-1 or 3-0… so I’m going 2-1.
