Sunderland 1-0 Newcastle United: Post-match review, Stats, Key moments

Sunderland beat Newcastle United 1-0 in a tense derby clash. The first half was scrappy with no goals, but plenty of yellow cards flying in – Brian Brobbey and Nordi Mukiele picked up bookings for Sunderland, while Newcastle had to make an early change when Dan Burn came off injured for Fabian Schär just before the break. Coming off a mixed run including a recent loss to Manchester City and a draw with Liverpool, Sunderland looked determined to bounce back at home.

The game turned right after the restart when Newcastle’s Nick Woltemade unfortunately put the ball into his own net in the 46th minute, giving Sunderland the lead they held onto. Both sides made substitutions to try and shift the momentum – Sunderland brought on Trai Hume and Wilson Isidor at 70 minutes, while Newcastle shook things up with a triple change around the hour mark, including Harvey Barnes and Joe Willock coming on. Newcastle, who had been in decent form with wins over Burnley and Manchester City lately, pushed hard but couldn’t find an equaliser amid a flurry of late yellow cards.

Newcastle edged possession with 53% compared to Sunderland’s 47%, suggesting they controlled more of the ball, but Sunderland made the most of their chances with far more successful dribbles at 78 against Newcastle’s 53, showing they were sharper in breaking forward. Corners favoured Newcastle too, with six to Sunderland’s three, hinting at more attacking pressure from the visitors, though neither side converted penalties or scored in injury time.

The match got feisty with nine yellow cards in total – five for Sunderland and four for Newcastle – but no reds, keeping it eleven versus eleven throughout. Substitutions saw Newcastle use all five slots, including an early one at 42 minutes when Fabian Schär replaced Dan Burn, followed by changes like Jacob Murphy for Anthony Elanga and Harvey Barnes for Anthony Gordon at 59 minutes, then Yoane Wissa for Nick Woltemade at 75; Sunderland stuck to three, with Trai Hume replacing Bertrand Traoré and Wilson Isidor for Brian Brobbey at 70, plus Romaine Mundle for Chemsdine Talbi at 83.

The decisive moment came straight after half-time when Newcastle’s Nick Woltemade turned the ball into his own net in the 46th minute, handing Sunderland a lead they defended stubbornly. Earlier, the first half saw yellow cards for Sunderland’s Brian Brobbey at 27 minutes and Nordi Mukiele at 34, setting a combative tone, while Newcastle lost Dan Burn to what looked like an injury, with Fabian Schär coming on at 42 minutes.

Newcastle tried to respond with a raft of changes around the 59th minute, bringing on Jacob Murphy, Harvey Barnes and Joe Willock for Anthony Elanga, Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali respectively, but Sunderland’s double switch at 70 saw Trai Hume and Wilson Isidor replace Bertrand Traoré and Brian Brobbey to shore things up. Late on, more bookings piled up, including for Sunderland’s Reinildo Mandava at 58, Enzo Le Fée at 86 and Wilson Isidor in stoppage time, while Newcastle’s Sandro Tonali at 57, Joe Willock, Bruno Guimarães and Malick Thiaw all saw yellow in the closing stages, but no equaliser came.

Sunderland lined up in a solid 4-2-3-1 shape, allowing them to stay compact at the back while pushing forward through players like Brian Brobbey, who was involved early before his yellow card and later substitution. Nordi Mukiele and Reinildo Mandava provided defensive grit with their bookings highlighting the battle, and partnerships in midfield helped contain Newcastle’s attacks, especially after changes like Trai Hume coming on for Bertrand Traoré.

Newcastle United set out in a 4-3-3 formation, aiming for width and creativity through players like Anthony Gordon and Anthony Elanga before they were subbed off for Harvey Barnes and Jacob Murphy. Sandro Tonali anchored the midfield until his yellow card and replacement by Joe Willock, while the early switch of Fabian Schär for Dan Burn showed resilience, though Nick Woltemade’s own goal and later sub for Yoane Wissa underlined a tough day.

Coral’s Man of the Match went to Robin Roefs, who was outstanding in goal for Sunderland with two crucial saves to keep a clean sheet, plus a clearance and a punch that helped repel Newcastle’s pressure. His performance ensured no goals conceded, making him the standout in a game where defence won the day.

Recent Premier League matches:

• Win: 1-0 vs Newcastle United (H)
• Loss: 0-3 vs Manchester City (A)
• Draw: 1-1 vs Liverpool (A)
• Win: 3-2 vs AFC Bournemouth (H)
• Loss: 0-1 vs Fulham (A)

Recent Premier League matches:

• Loss: 0-1 vs Sunderland (A)
• Win: 2-1 vs Burnley (H)
• Draw: 2-2 vs Tottenham Hotspur (H)
• Win: 4-1 vs Everton (A)
• Win: 2-1 vs Manchester City (H)

Sunderland have just secured a 1-0 win over Newcastle United, boosting their push for a higher spot as they sit seventh on 26 points after a form run that includes a victory against Bournemouth but also a heavy loss to Manchester City. They’ll look to build on this derby success in their next match against Brighton & Hove Albion on 2025-12-20 at 15:00, with the visitors currently tenth on 23 points, offering a chance to create some breathing room in the chase for European places.

Newcastle United have just suffered a 1-0 defeat to Sunderland, a setback after a strong patch with wins over Burnley, Everton and Manchester City, leaving them 12th on 22 points and keen to avoid slipping further. Their next fixture is against Fulham on 2025-12-17 at 20:15, with the opponents sitting 13th on 20 points, making it a key opportunity to get back on track and climb away from the mid-table scrap.

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Odds and market details are accurate as of the time of publication.