Newcastle United vs Sunderland – Match preview and team news
Newcastle United vs Sunderland – Match preview and team news Newcastle United welcome Sunderland to St James’ Park on Sunday for a massive Tyne-Wear derby, with the Magpies desperate to snap a decade-long hoodoo against their fiercest rivals. The Magpies return to Tyneside looking to heal the wounds of a “black and blue” midweek in Barcelona, where they were eliminated from the Champions League following a bruising 7–2 defeat at the Camp Nou. Despite their European exit, Eddie Howe’s men have been perfect in the Premier League this March, securing back-to-back wins over Manchester United and Chelsea to climb above Sunderland in the table.
Notably, Newcastle are aiming for a 100% winning month in the league for the first time since 2018. But they must overcome a psychological hurdle; they haven’t kept a clean sheet against the Black Cats since 2011. Sunderland arrive on Tyneside with a historic record within their grasp, aiming to extend their unbeaten derby streak to an unprecedented 11 matches.
Under Régis Le Bris, the Black Cats have already tasted derby success this term with a 1–0 win in December. This game featured the second-lowest combined xG (0. 54) on record for a Premier League match.
While recent form has been patchy—scoring just four goals in their last eight outings—Sunderland have been experts at grinding out results from losing positions. They have earned 16 points from such scenarios this season. A victory today would see them leapfrog Newcastle and potentially reignite their push for a top-seven finish.
Newcastle United vs Sunderland – Match preview and team news Date: Sunday, 22 March 2026 Kick-off: 12:00 GMT Venue: St James’ Park, Newcastle Referee: Anthony Taylor VAR: Paul Howard Last Meeting: Sunderland 1–0 Newcastle United (14 Dec 2025, Premier League) Team News Newcastle United Eddie Howe faces a major concern over Sandro Tonali, who limped out of the Barcelona defeat with a groin injury. However, he remains in contention following a positive initial assessment. Notably, Tino Livramento and Sven Botman are expected to return to the starting XI after being rested in midweek.