Where have you been! Newcastle fans played a psychological game on Sunderland, poking at their nearly 10-year relegation.
Newcastle United fans displayed a giant banner at St. James' Park reading, "Welcome to the region's capital — you've been gone for so long!" This sharply sarcastic message referred to Sunderland's long nine-year wait before returning to the Premier League.
This is the North East derby, one of the most intense rivalries in English football, between two clubs located only 12 miles apart. However, after Sunderland's relegation from the Premier League in 2017, the two teams had not met in the top flight for almost a full decade.
The turning point came in May 2025 when Sunderland defeated Sheffield United 2-1 in the Championship playoff final, earning promotion back to the Premier League and reigniting this legendary derby.
The first meeting of the season took place at the Stadium of Light in December 2025 and ended with a stunning result for Newcastle fans: Sunderland won 1-0 due to an own goal by Nick Voltemade in the 46th minute.
At halftime, Newcastle was leading 1-0 thanks to Anthony Gordon.