Newcastle United will play Sunderland in the FA Cup third round in January, ending the wait for a Tyne-Wear rivalry.
Newcastle and Sunderland will meet in a cup game for the first time since 1956, and it will be the first meeting between the two clubs since 2016. Aleksandar Mitrovic saved a point for the Magpies in the previous game, very early in Rafa Benitez’s reign.
Both teams have been through a lot since then. They are virtually unrecognizable. Sunderland has sunk to League One depths and cried on Netflix, whilst Newcastle has reached the heights of the Champions League and appeared in their own Amazon documentary.
Eddie Howe’s team will enter the game as heavy favorites. Sunderland are currently mid-table in the Championship, although they will have home advantage with the game taking place at the Stadium Of Light.
It’s a fantastic draw, and one that has delighted Toon icon Alan Shearer. And the former Newcastle striker has already advised BBC officials that the game between the Geordies and the Mackems must be broadcast.
Alan Shearer is buzzing about Newcastle playing Sunderland in the FA Cup
Alan Shearer has spoke to Gary Lineker about the upcoming Tyne-Wear derby on the latest episode of The Rest Is Football podcast.
“You [Lineker] sent a text message asking for tickets!,” he said.
“What a draw, it was brilliant. Arsenal vs Liverpool and Sunderland vs Newcastle! Amazing. I can’t wait.
“Sunderland I look forward to. I have already been on to the top guys [at BBC] saying we know Arsenal and Liverpool are playing reserve sides so we might as well do Sunderland vs Newcastle, where we know nobody can afford to be beaten and won’t put reserve sides out!”
A chance for Newcastle to reclaim bragging rights over Sunderland
Given the magnitude of the game, it appears likely it will be shown on either BBC or ITV. It is the one game that the two broadcasters should be vying for because it does not come around very often.
Tyne-Wear derbies are enormous events, and we’ve been without one for far too long. They bring back unpleasant memories for Newcastle fans, as the last time the Toon beat Sunderland was in 2011, when Alan Pardew was in charge and Ryan Taylor struck a stunning free-kick over the wall.
Sunderland have been the better team in derbies since then. They even went on a winning streak of six games in a row, which they mercilessly remind us of on every occasion.
But now Newcastle has a chance to recapture their title, and Alan Shearer is overjoyed. However, he is surely nervous on the inside, just like any Newcastle United fan.
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