Newcastle vs Sunderland – News and Probable Lineups

This Sunday, the Tyne and Wear county will see an intense battle as Newcastle United faces Sunderland in a significant Tyne-Wear derby in the Premier League, with the action starting at 1 PM.

After a rough midweek encounter, the Magpies return home looking to regroup, but the Black Cats have also faced challenges in their recent outings.

Match overview

In the turbulent 2025-26 season, Newcastle has found consistency elusive, with only three victories across consecutive Premier League matches; however, one of those rare successes was in their most recent two league outings.

Securing wins against heavyweight teams like Manchester United and Chelsea in back-to-back weeks would have seemed far-fetched for Newcastle supporters in the past, yet Eddie Howe orchestrated a remarkable 2-1 victory over the Red Devils before triumphing over the Blues with a 1-0 score after a pre-match debacle.

These noteworthy domestic wins have propelled Newcastle into the top half of the Premier League standings, as they seek to replicate their best winning streak from the current season, which includes three consecutive wins against Burnley, Crystal Palace, and Leeds United spanning December to January.

Despite these successes, the team in black and white faced a crushing 7-2 defeat against Barcelona in the Champions League midweek, marking a dismal end to their continental campaign in the last 16.

Prior to this, only once had an English side conceded 6 or more goals in a Champions League match—when Tottenham Hotspur faced Bayern Munich in 2019—but Anthony Elanga’s two goals on that night at least extended Newcastle’s record to 15 consecutive matches scoring across all competitions.

On the flip side, Regis Le Bris’s Sunderland have seen their aspirations for early-season European competition fade due to a few goalless draws in both the FA Cup and Premier League.

The Black Cats’ aspirations for a second consecutive trip to Wembley were dashed in a disappointing 1-0 FA Cup defeat against Port Vale, which was followed by a similar scoreline in a league loss to Brighton & Hove Albion.

Despite finding themselves in an unfortunate 13th position on the Premier League table, Sunderland is still within striking distance of seventh-placed Brentford, sitting just five points behind, leaving the door open for potential European qualifications in the 2026-27 season.

Although Sunderland could only boast a single win from their last six Premier League matches, that victory was recorded in their latest away fixture at Leeds United, and they now have the chance to secure back-to-back away wins in the league while maintaining two clean sheets for the first time this century.

Fans at the Stadium of Light will also cherish memories of December’s home victory over the Magpies, as Newcastle is currently in a ten-match winless streak in Tyne-Wear league derbies; historically, neither Newcastle nor Sunderland has gone unbeaten in 11 consecutive clashes.

Team News

Newcastle suffered another setback in their loss to Barcelona, as their vital midfielder Sandro Tonali was substituted early in the second half due to a groin issue, though it’s believed to be minor; Howe has remained vague in his press briefing regarding the situation.

Additionally, Newcastle’s head coach has already confirmed that fellow key player Lewis Miley would miss the Tyne-Wear derby even before the trip to Catalonia, while Emil Krafth (knee), Fabian Schar (ankle), and Bruno Guimaraes (thigh) are set to be absent until after the international break.

After making history as just the second Premier League player to net a Champions League brace away at Barcelona—joining Dwight Yorke from 1998—Elanga has likely earned a starting role, although Sven Botman and Tino Livramento may be introduced to bolster the defense.

On the Sunderland side, manager Le Bris has kept team news close to his chest during his press conference, only confirming that left-back Reinildo Mandava is set to return from a knee injury.

Nonetheless, Wilson Isidor (injury unspecified), Dan Ballard (hamstring), Enzo Le Fee (injury unspecified), Robin Roefs (thigh), and Nordi Mukiele (calf) will all need fitness tests before the match, while Jocelin Ta Bi (ankle), Nilson Angulo (injury unspecified), Romaine Mundle (hamstring), and Bertrand Traore (knee) are confirmed to be out.

The visiting manager previously expressed hope that Le Fee would be match-ready for the derby; if not, 18-year-old Chris Rigg—whose goal was disallowed last weekend—could be set for a starting opportunity.

Newcastle United probable starting XI:

Ramsdale; Livramento, Thiaw, Botman, Hall; Ramsey, Willock, Joelinton; Elanga, Gordon, Barnes

Sunderland probable starting XI:

Ellborg; Geertruida, O’Nien, Alderete, Reinildo; Diarra, Xhaka, Sadiki; Le Fee, Brobbey, Talbi

While Sunderland is grappling with several injury concerns for critical players, there remains a cloud of uncertainty surrounding Sunday’s fixture. However, recent attacking efforts from the visitors have left much to be desired.

Derby day can ignite the best and worst in players, but in this instance, we anticipate that Newcastle will finally end their frustrating winless streak in the Tyne-Wear rivalry.