Key stats that will give Newcastle hope in Wear-Tyne derby clash

Newcastle United head to the Stadium of Light on Sunday to face Sunderland for the first Premier League Wear-Tyne derby since 2016.

- by Sports Reporter

Sunderland's Stadium of Light ahead of the last meeting in January 2024 where Newcastle United won 3-0.

Newcastle United head into Sunday's Tyne-Wear derby looking to overturn a very unwanted record.

This is the first time these two sides have met in the Premier League since 2016, with last year's 3-0 win at the Stadium of Light an FA Cup tie when Sunderland were still a Championship team.

The Magpies failed to win any of their last nine Premier League derbies before Sunderland's relegation, losing six times during that run and scoring just four goals.

In fact, Newcastle United's last league win in the derby came all the way back in August 2011, when Ryan Taylor scored the only goal of the match in an away win for an Alan Pardew-managed side featuring the likes of Shola Ameobi, Joey Barton, Jonas Gutierrez and Fabricio Coloccini.

But despite all that, there are some very big reasons why Newcastle United fans should feel optimistic as they prepare to meet the old enemy.

Here are three of them:

Newcastle could hardly have asked for better preparation for this hotly anticipated derby clash.

The Magpies head to the Stadium of Light unbeaten in their last four Premier League games, picking up 10 points during that time.