Can Newcastle Capitalize on Sunderland's Injury Worry in Tyne-Wear Showdown?

Sunderland's injury crisis deepens ahead of Tyne-Wear derby against Newcastle

Newcastle United looks to capitalize on Sunderland's injury crisis in the Tyne-Wear derby. Sunderland faces Newcastle with as many as 10 players out due to injuries, including key players like Bertrand Traore and Reinildo Mandava.

Newcastle's season is on the line, and they need a result against bitter rivals Sunderland.

After getting hammered by Barcelona in the Champions League, Newcastle has eight Premier League games to turn things around and get back in contention for a top-four finish and a spot in next season's Champions League. If they don't make it into the UCL, it could be a massive blow, and their top players might start looking elsewhere.

Newcastle's UCL Chances: A Steep Hill to Climb

Newcastle United is currently in ninth position, nine points behind Aston Villa, who occupy the fourth and final Champions League spot. Liverpool, in fifth, is seven points ahead of Newcastle, occupying the Europa League spot. Although it's a tough task, it's not impossible for Eddie Howe's men, especially with their focus solely on league play.

Eddie Howe on Sunderland:

"Sunderland have had a good season, the jump from Championship to the Premier League is big. We know how tough the game was against them earlier in the season, we need to use that experience of the first game, the emotions we felt afterwards. We are… pic.twitter.com/SdYH6Dxpr5

— Newcastle United (@NUFC) March 20, 2026

With eight games left, Newcastle needs a strong finish to secure a top-four spot. Given their current form and the competitive nature of the league, it won't be easy, but Newcastle has shown resilience before.

Newcastle's got a chance to bounce back against Sunderland, and St. James' Park is gonna be electric on Sunday.

Sunderland's squad has slowed down a bit, but they're still only two points behind Newcastle and could jump up four places with a win, plus some help from other teams.

Injury Worry for Newcastle

Newcastle's creativity takes a hit with Sandro Tonali potentially missing the Sunderland match due to injury, and captain Bruno Guimaraes still out.

The Magpies are aware they're on a bad streak against Sunderland at home, with no wins in their last five league games (D2 L3). This is the first meeting at St James' Park since 2016.

Newcastle's got a tough history against Sunderland, scoring just once in their last six league games. Their last clean sheet against Sunderland was back in 2011.

Sunderland's on a roll, unbeaten in 10 league games against Newcastle (W7 D3), winning seven of the last eight. Newcastle's conceded 17 goals to Sunderland's 4 during this streak.

Sunderland's Chance for League Double

Sunderland is hoping to make it two wins in a row away from home, something they haven't achieved since May 2014. Eddie Howe's side has already shown its strength with wins against Manchester United and Chelsea in March. Although they've beaten Leeds in their last Premier League away game, the pressure is on to keep the momentum going against Newcastle United.

📈 RLB on the Premier League:

'It is relentless. Every week is a new challenge. We have the quality to compete in any fixture. Our mindset is strong...' pic.twitter.com/i2zuarbrew

— Sunderland AFC (@SunderlandAFC) March 20, 2026

Eddie Howe won't want to be the first Newcastle boss to lose both league games against Sunderland, especially after losing 1-0 earlier this season. That game was decided by an own goal from Nick Woltemade, who's struggled in the second half of the season and hasn't scored in the league since December.

Le Bris would join a very elite club if Sunderland wins, becoming only the second Sunderland manager to win both of his first two league Tyne-Wear derbies. Gus Poyet did it back in 2013/14, and now Le Bris is on the cusp of matching that feat.

Injury Worry Takes Backseat to Sunderland's Scoring Streak

If Sunderland scores first, Newcastle might be in trouble. The Black Cats are one of only three Premier League teams unbeaten when scoring first this season (W6 D4), alongside Man United (W12 D6) and Nottingham Forest (W5 D2).

Sunderland's got a knack for turning games around, with only Aston Villa (19) winning more points from losing positions than them (16) in 2025/26. Meanwhile, Newcastle's struggled to hold on to leads, with West Ham (20) dropping more points from winning positions than them (19).

In terms of form, Newcastle's W2 L2 D1 in their last five, while Sunderland's W1 L3 D1, including that FA Cup upset at Port Vale.

Sunderland's injury crisis might just give Newcastle the edge they need. They're looking at a whopping 10 players out, including Roefs, Traore, Mandava, Mundle, Mukiele, and Ta Bi, with Angulo, Le Fee, Ballard, and Isidor all doubtful.