Sunderland v Newcastle LIVE: FA Cup result and reaction as Alexander Isak sends Magpies through

Sunderland have won their last three home games against Newcastle in all competitions – they have never won four in a row against them before.

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe has played down the significance of a blunder which saw a bar at the home of arch-rivals Sunderland decorated in his club’s colours ahead of Saturday’s FA Cup derby.

The Wearside club have launched an investigation into how the Black Cats Bar at the Stadium of Light, which will host corporate hospitality for travelling fans, was decked out in black and white and Magpies slogans, sparking fury from home supporters.

But as “disgusted and hurt” Sunderland chairman Kyril Louis-Dreyfus vowed to address the issue, Newcastle head coach Howe waved away suggestions the 6,000 visiting supporters had been handed a head-start in the run-up to the eagerly-anticipated third-round fixture.

Newcastle are winless in their last nine meetings with Sunderland in all competitions (three draws, six defeats, all the Premier League between 2012-2016) since a 1-0 win away from home in August 2011. It’s their longest ever winless run against their North East rivals.

Sunderland have won their last two FA Cup ties against Newcastle, with this the first such meeting since a 2-0 quarter-final victory in 1955/56.

Today’s fixture will be the first time the north-east neighbours have met since a 1-1 Premier League draw at St James’ Park in March 2016.

Sunderland, who had won each of the previous six encounters before that draw, have spent four seasons in League One after successive relegations from the top flight, while Newcastle have been reinvigorated since being taken over by Amanda Staveley’s Saudi-backed consortium in October 2021.

Newcastle have not won any of their last four matches and Eddie Howe is hoping to use this FA Cup match against their rivals to turn things around.

“Our next game is our next opportunity to turn our form around.” he said, “We are very much focusing on our performance and trying to deliver the best account of ourselves as we can.

“It is our opportunity to progress in the cup competition. We have to individually be at our best levels.”

Sunderland boss Michael Beale was only appointed on 18th December after Tony Mowbray was sacked, but is no stranger to a high-profile derby.

He was Rangers manager for six Old Firm games against Celtic. Speaking ahead of this Tyne-Wear derby Beale addressed how local clashes of rivals grab the attention of the country.

"It’s a fixture that captivates everyone in the north-east but also across the country. We love our derbies in English football," Beale said.

"We need to be at our very best, there’s obviously a difference between the two clubs at the moment. It’s intriguing to put our young Championship squad up against a Champions League squad."

Newcastle manager Eddie Howe says he hopes today’s FA Cup third-round tie at Sunderland will be a season-changing game for his side.

"That’s how we have to look at it," Howe said when asked if it could be a season-changing game. "When the draw was made, I gave the Geordies [in the squad] an opportunity to speak about the fixture, just to set the scene,

"The players know everything they need to know about the fixture. They know what it means.

"We’ve trained well. We know the importance of the fixture and what it means to everybody. Hope we can give the best account of ourselves."

Sunderland XI: Patterson; Hume, Ballard, O’Nien, Alese; Ekwah, Neil; Pritchard, Bellingham, Clarke; Rusyn

Newcastle XI: Dubravka; Trippier, Schar, Botman, Burn; Guimaraes, Longstaff, Joelinton; Almiron, Isak, Gordon

Red-faced Sunderland chiefs have apologised for a “serious error in judgement” after a bar at the Stadium of Light was decorated in the colours of arch-rivals Newcastle ahead of Saturday’s FA Cup derby.

Fans reacted with fury when images emerged on social media on Thursday of the Black Cats Bar at the Wearside venue with banners proclaiming the messages “Keep the Black and White Flying High” and “We are United”, while Sunderland’s motto “Ha’way the lads” in red had been replaced with the Geordie spelling “Howay” in black.

However, the Championship club later released a statement announcing an immediate review and confirming the bar, which will serve as a corporate hospitality area for visiting fans, would be returned to its previous livery before the third-round tie.