🔗 Share this article Sunderland Recreate Iconic Newcastle Team Photo In the Wake of Pivotal Derby Victory. Sunderland players and staff posed for a picture to commemorate their victory over their rivals. A different manager and an almost completely different team – but someone at Sunderland had a long memory. Back in 2024, after a dominant Newcastle performance at the Stadium of Light in an FA Cup tie, the visitors marked the occasion with a group photo on the pitch. This time, the roles were turned on their head. Nick Woltemade's own goal proved enough to give Sunderland a long-awaited win over their rivals in the first Premier League Tyne-Wear derby since 2016 – prompting the hosts to recreate Newcastle's iconic snapshot at full-time. “Consistently original, imaginative, versatile,” said with a grin Black Cats manager Regis le Bris when pressed about who proposed the gesture. Defender Dan Ballard, who scored an own goal in that previous encounter, was the lone Sunderland player to be in the starting XI in each of the games. He revealed how he was eager to make amends for the loss, stating: “You cannot describe [the feeling]. It was so painful for the players and for the fans. We felt we had failed them, so we're ecstatic with this win.” “That experience hardened us. We came in with more quality in this team, real leaders, we stuck in there, fought really hard and I thought we deserved the win.” Sunderland recreated this picture from Newcastle's cup win over the Black Cats. ‘Derbies you have to win, it does not matter how’ Occupying seventh spot Sunderland are experiencing a superb return to the top flight post promotion via the play-offs last season. The Black Cats have 26 points on the board in 16 games, their most at this stage of a Premier League campaign since 2000-01. They are still unbeaten in the league at the Stadium of Light, which had an feverish atmosphere for most of Sunday afternoon. “In local rivalry matches, the result is everything, the performance secondary,” said captain Granit Xhaka. “This team merits greater recognition – where we are in the league is amazing and we're working really hard.” Sunderland are also undefeated in their last 10 league games against Newcastle, their longest such run without defeat against the Magpies. Newcastle's last league win over Sunderland was back in August 2011. Manager Regis le Bris said he was “delighted and satisfied” with the result. “It was a derby and we were carrying the hopes of our fans,” he added. “This win is fully merited, we were mature and the lads were superb.” “It's good for the local community, the club, the fans. We knew before it was a special game, but we have to turn the page as we have another difficult test in Brighton in one week.” The Sunderland scoreboard at Stadium of Light chose not to show Newcastle's name.
Sunderland players and staff posed for a picture to commemorate their victory over their rivals. A different manager and an almost completely different team – but someone at Sunderland had a long memory. Back in 2024, after a dominant Newcastle performance at the Stadium of Light in an FA Cup tie, the visitors marked the occasion with a group photo on the pitch. This time, the roles were turned on their head. Nick Woltemade's own goal proved enough to give Sunderland a long-awaited win over their rivals in the first Premier League Tyne-Wear derby since 2016 – prompting the hosts to recreate Newcastle's iconic snapshot at full-time. “Consistently original, imaginative, versatile,” said with a grin Black Cats manager Regis le Bris when pressed about who proposed the gesture. Defender Dan Ballard, who scored an own goal in that previous encounter, was the lone Sunderland player to be in the starting XI in each of the games. He revealed how he was eager to make amends for the loss, stating: “You cannot describe [the feeling]. It was so painful for the players and for the fans. We felt we had failed them, so we're ecstatic with this win.” “That experience hardened us. We came in with more quality in this team, real leaders, we stuck in there, fought really hard and I thought we deserved the win.” Sunderland recreated this picture from Newcastle's cup win over the Black Cats. ‘Derbies you have to win, it does not matter how’ Occupying seventh spot Sunderland are experiencing a superb return to the top flight post promotion via the play-offs last season. The Black Cats have 26 points on the board in 16 games, their most at this stage of a Premier League campaign since 2000-01. They are still unbeaten in the league at the Stadium of Light, which had an feverish atmosphere for most of Sunday afternoon. “In local rivalry matches, the result is everything, the performance secondary,” said captain Granit Xhaka. “This team merits greater recognition – where we are in the league is amazing and we're working really hard.” Sunderland are also undefeated in their last 10 league games against Newcastle, their longest such run without defeat against the Magpies. Newcastle's last league win over Sunderland was back in August 2011. Manager Regis le Bris said he was “delighted and satisfied” with the result. “It was a derby and we were carrying the hopes of our fans,” he added. “This win is fully merited, we were mature and the lads were superb.” “It's good for the local community, the club, the fans. We knew before it was a special game, but we have to turn the page as we have another difficult test in Brighton in one week.” The Sunderland scoreboard at Stadium of Light chose not to show Newcastle's name.