Woltemade’s Misstep: Sunderland Triumphs in the Tyne-Wear Derby

Sunderland 1-0 Newcastle

Nick Woltemade, Newcastle United’s record signing, demonstrated his scoring prowess earlier in the season, but his latest outing was one he’d rather forget. Just 59 seconds into the second half during his first Tyne-Wear derby, the €75 million signing from Stuttgart inadvertently redirected a simple cross into his own net, past goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale, igniting celebrations among Sunderland supporters. After a promising start with five goals in his first twelve matches, this blunder will linger in Woltemade’s memory.

Fans Await Hostile Rivalry

After nine and a half long years, fans from both sides finally experienced the thrill of a Tyne-Wear derby in the Premier League for the first time since March 2016. This historic fixture is known for its intense emotions, fierce tackles, and last-minute goals that bring bragging rights. The atmosphere at the Stadium of Light remained electric, with over 50,000 fans providing a chorus of deafening chants that would challenge any vocalist.

Action Falls Short of Anticipations

However, the first half failed to live up to expectations. Newcastle went into halftime without a single shot on target, while Sunderland couldn’t find the net with any of their three attempts. This lack of attacking prowess highlighted the cautious approach of Eddie Howe’s side this season, as they struggled to find their rhythm. Meanwhile, Régis Le Bris’ team, newly promoted from the Championship, has proven difficult to defeat and surprisingly found themselves above Newcastle in the league standings.

It seemed fitting that the opening goal came from a player heading the ball into his own net, considering how little either team had threatened. Sunderland pressed for a second goal to secure the win. Woltemade eventually exited the field to a chorus of cheers from the home fans, rounding off a day to forget for the young striker. This setback will likely motivate him to bounce back, but for now, the Tyne-Wear derby bragging rights rest with Sunderland.

Historical Context

The last Premier League clash between these rivals took place in March 2016, ending in a 1-1 draw at St James’ Park. Since then, Sunderland has faced a challenging journey that took them down to League One and back, while Newcastle has climbed into the Champions League positions following a lucrative takeover by the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund. Let’s recap the lineups from that encounter nearly nine years ago; remarkably, only one player from either team still plays for the club today.

Lineups from the Last Premier League Tyne-Wear Derby

Newcastle featured Irish goalkeeper Rob Elliot, valued at €1.5 million at the time. The backline included Jack Colback, known as the “Ginger Pirlo,” at left-back (€7.5m) and Dutchman Daryl Janmaat (€7.5m) at right-back, with Chancel Mbemba (€10m) and Jamaal Lascelles (€3m) forming the center-back duo—Lascelles is the only player still part of Newcastle today. Jonjo Shelvey (€12m) and Georginio Wijnaldum (€20m), the highest-valued player among both teams, were in midfield.

On the wings, Moussa Sissoko (€15m) and Andros Townsend (€9m) provided pace, while Ayoze Pérez (€8m) supported Serbian striker Alexander Mitrović (€14m) in a two-pronged attack. The combined market value of Newcastle’s XI that day stood at €107.5 million. In contrast, Sunderland’s lineup included Italian Vito Mannone (€2.5m) in goal, with Dutchman Patrick van Aanholt (€4.5m) and American DeAndre Yedlin (€1.5m) as full-backs, and a center-back pairing of Younès Kaboul (€3m) and Ivorian Laminé Kone (€5m).

Sunderland’s midfield trio included Jan Kirchhoff (€1.5m), Yann M’Vila (€7m), and Jack Rodwell (€8m). Fabio Borini (€6m) and Wahbi Khazri (€8m) operated on the flanks, while Premier League legend Jermain Defoe (€6m) led the attack. Despite boasting a combined market value of only €53 million, every player in Sunderland’s XI has since departed the club.