‘Be ready’ – Sunderland send message to Newcastle United before Tyne-Wear derby

Newcastle United and Sunderland are set to reignite their fierce Premier League rivalry in the Tyne-Wear derby next weekend, with both sides approaching the showdown in contrasting form.

Sunderland head coach Régis Le Bris has rejected claims that his team were already looking ahead to the clash during their heavy defeat to Manchester City.

Sunday’s meeting will mark the first top-flight derby between the two clubs since March 2016. Sunderland have been one of the season’s surprise packages so far, collecting 23 points from their opening 15 matches.

Meanwhile, Newcastle closed the gap to just one point after their recent victory over Burnley, setting up an eagerly awaited encounter.

However, Eddie Howe’s side must first turn their attention to a crucial Champions League trip to Bayer Leverkusen.

Le Bris denies derby distraction
Speaking after the 3-0 loss at the Etihad, Le Bris insisted the looming derby had no impact on his players’ performance. He explained that his side gave everything but were simply outmatched.

The Frenchman also reflected positively on the previous week, during which Sunderland picked up four points from games against Bournemouth and Liverpool.

He added that struggling against Manchester City is something many teams will experience this season, and stressed that his squad will take lessons from the setback and be fully prepared for the derby.

Howe already planning for Sunderland
Newcastle boss Eddie Howe, meanwhile, admitted that although his main focus is the upcoming Champions League fixture, the derby is already on his radar.

After the win over Burnley, Howe revealed that planning is always underway for several matches ahead, noting that while Leverkusen demands full attention, preparations for Sunderland are already quietly taking shape.

Burn reacts to Sunderland’s top-flight return
Defender Dan Burn also shared a light-hearted moment about Sunderland’s promotion.

He revealed a conversation with his father, joking that he claimed he wouldn’t mind whether Sunderland returned to the Premier League or stayed in the Championship — only to catch his dad celebrating wildly when Sheffield United nearly scored during the promotion race.