Match Preview/Stats/Thread: Newcastle V Sunderland
By Tyne-Talk April 18 2008
Newcastle host Sunderland this coming Sunday in the 139th Tyne-Wear derby (or 124th league Tyne-Wear derby), with the managers, players and fans all realising how important winning this fixture is, it is likely to be a battle till the end. Newcastle go into the match off the back off 3 straight wins followed by a draw against Portsmouth last weekend.
Sunderland come to St James's Park having lost to Manchester City last weekend after winning their previous two games. For Newcastle United, the last 6 games where they have lost just once will give them a boost after a dip in form over the last 5 months which saw the club pick up 3 points from a potential 36. Sunderland however have lost 3 in their last 6 games.
Sunderland could match Newcastle on points (and go above them on goal difference) should they win convincingly on Sunday, whilst Newcastle could potentially go above Tottenham Hotspur who play Wigan at the JJB.
Both Sunderland and Newcastle will be aware of what they need to do on Sunday as Middlesbrough, who currently match Sunderland on points, take on Bolton on Saturday in a 3pm Kick Off.
However, Sunderland's away record isn't exactly something to shout about; they have lost 12, won 2 and drawn 3 games, scored 13 goals and conceded 34.
In comparison:
At home Newcastle have won 7 drawn 5 and lost 5, scored 23 goals and conceded 24. Not great stats but better than Sunderland's away record. Yet in comparison to last season Newcastle could top their performance record.
Newcastle United 2006/2007
Newcastle United 2007/2008 SO FAR
Won
7
7
Drawn
7
5
Lost
5
5
Goals Scored
23
23
Goals Conceded
20
24
Total Points
43
39
Emre will not feature at the weekend as he is still recovering from an ankle injury, Given is also out until the end of the season. James Milner could return, after returning to training this week having recovered from a foot injury which has kept him out for the last 5 weeks, and Stephen Carr is fighting to start after struggling with a hamstring problem.
Claudio Cacapa looks set to miss the derby match but Newcastle will be missing nobody through suspension. Keegan looks set to start all three of his strikers once more as he looks to grab the clubs 49th win against Sunderland.
Michael Owen will be Sunderland's biggest concern, is Newcastle's top goal scorer with 10 goals this season and 6 goals in 10 games. Kenwyne Jones holds Sunderland's top goal scorer title with 7 premier league goals this season.
Former Newcastle youngster Michael Chopra could feature for Sunderland and has already warned his old club to watch out because he will show them what they missed out on by selling him to Cardiff.
He said:
"I would hope I would get a good reception from them.
I think most people realised when I left Newcastle to go to Cardiff that I had to do it because I wasn't really getting many first-team chances on Tyneside.
But whenever I did play for Newcastle, I always gave 100 per cent - just as I do now for Sunderland.
As for me going back to St James's Park as a Sunderland player, I'm sure the Newcastle fans know I am here for footballing reasons - who you support doesn't come into it."
Newcastle
Sunderland
34
Played
34
39
Points
35
10
Won
10
9
Drawn
6
15
Lost
18
58
Goals Conceded
52
40
Goals Scored
33
Match Preview/Stats/Thread: Newcastle V Sunderland
Posted by: TyneTalk (IP Logged)
Date: 18/04/2008 11:59
Match Preview/Stats/Thread: Newcastle V Sunderland
but i have doubts about the temperament of both barton (duh!) and in this match in particular taylor. both are very eager to please, and this could be exploited if keane has done his homework. i can see taylor cutting jones in two if he is targeted for winding up, and am genuinely worried that he could be sent off. remember the picture of keane when he totally lost it at st james, and got sent off trying to lamp big al? thats the scenario i'm thinking about, and can easily see it being tried out because we have the edge on them if its an open game
an early goal to settle us, another by half time and its easy street. somehow i dont see it being THAT easy though
i was after the odds for both owen and martins to score, but when i saw you only get a measly 22-1 for both of them AND viduka to score it didnt seem worth it. does this mean each of them is on average less than 3-1 to score? thats total rubbish like
Yep, mathematically safe, but now we need another 3 points to keep from having our lowest point total ever. Should be no problem as we'll sweep the last games!
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