3 Positives and 3 Negatives to take from Sunderland 1 Newcastle 0

Sunday’s match ended Sunderland 1 Newcastle 0.

Ahead of each match we ask one of our writers to come up with three positives and three negatives following the game.

Plenty to talk about after this one!

On this occasion it is ‘Matt Busby said to Joe Harvey…’:

POSITIVES

We’ve got bigger fish to fry

I always felt this was the least important of three games in three different competitions in the space of a week.

Roll on Wednesday where we can make amends by progressing to a third League Cup semi-final in the space of four years.

Subs at least made a game of it

Elanga, Tonali and Gordon so far off the pace, for the triple substitution that marked the arrival of Murphy, Willock and Barnes in the 59th minute, but that injection of fresh legs at least gave us some impetus.

It’s of little consolation but we were the better team from that point.

I’m glad we’re not like them

I left Sky Sports running as I was writing this and their fans were celebrating like they’d won the European Cup, bless them.

We won a cup final last March, let them celebrate their cup final victory today. In the bigger picture, this isn’t overly significant.

NEGATVES

Lame and meek

Where was the intensity?

Where was the desire?

Where was the will to win?

Nowhere.

We looked knackered. Lethargy all over the park and running on empty.

What’s wrong with Tonali? Our full-backs were poor and as for our wide men…

Points from losing positions?

Nil, that’s how many.

Every time we go behind, we end up with nowt.

It’s a bad habit that we need to break and soon.

Worst in the Premier League. On the flip side, look at Aston Villa, twice behind today and they won. It was the same when they went to Brighton and Leeds recently. Our mentality seems weak in comparison.

BDB injury

Big Dan Burn took a heavy clatter to the chest and ribs towards the end of the first half and was clearly suffering, having to leave the field of play with Fabian Schar replacing him.

I hope he’s okay and not going to be out for a while.

Sunderland 1 Newcastle 0 – Sunday 14 December 2025 2pm

Match Stats

Goals:

Newcastle United:

Sunderland:

Woltemade OG 46

Possession was Newcastle 54% Sunderland 46%

Total shots were Newcastle 6 Sunderland 5

Shots on target were Newcastle 2 Sunderland 1

Corners were Newcastle 6 Sunderland 3

Touches in the opposition box Newcastle 14 Sunderland 14

Newcastle team v Sunderland:

Ramsdale, Livramento, Thiaw, Burn (Schar 42), Hall, Tonali (Willock 59), Miley, Bruno, Gordon (Barnes 59), Woltemade (Wissa 75), Elanga (Jacob Murphy 59)

Unused subs:

Ruddy, Joelinton, Alex Murphy, Ramsey