Damaged Eddie Howe left on the brink but racism and violence mar Sunderland derby joy | OneFootball

The jeers rang down towards Eddie Howe from the Gallowgate End, where public hangings used to take place. A wounded manager, perhaps fatally damaged by a week of humiliation and a season collapsing, held a fixed grimace and kept applauding politely.

Another manager finished off by Sunderland’s unlikely, spirited knack of stealing wins against Newcastle in this bitterly-fought fixture that defines moods and reputations?

The coming days, or weeks, will determine if Howe is given the chance to rebuild, or the club’s Saudi ownership decides to pursue a ruthless fresh start.

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Eddie Howe could only applaud politely as the jeers rained down on him (AFP via Getty Images)

But he is certainly up against it, with a team whose legs have gone after passing 50 games this season, and a defence leaking too easily. That’s 22 points surrendered from winning positions, the worst in the league – a sign of naivety, an absence of resilience and a lack of grit.

“Pathetic, weak and lazy” was Alan Shearer’s hot take. Few disagreed. But Howe said immediately after the clash he wanted to stay and rebuild.

“You never want to go through that (booing),” said the Magpies boss. “As the leader, I front up and absorb it and act like I normally would. I understand and accept the criticism.

“I am fully committed to the job. I am disappointed with my delivery this week. I mean, I always absorb the blame myself. I will protect my players to my last breath.

“It is very painful, most of all for our supporters. I think about them now. I have little to use as an excuse. We are desperately disappointed.”

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Brian Brobbey celebrated snatching a late winner for Sunderland (Owen Humphreys/PA Wire)

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Newcastle were left bereft after derby defeat (Getty Images)

The Tyne-Wear derby was back on Tyneside for the first time since 2016. “Utter chaos” off the pitch. Utter chaos in Newcastle’s flimsy defence yet again and Mackems triumphant on Tyneside – doing the double over their great local rivals.

The occasion started with fans fighting on the streets, with heads bloodied and the Sunderland team coach windscreen smashed.

It ended with a devastating 90th-minute winner for Sunderland from striker Brian Brobbey and jubilant celebrations high up in the Leazes End for the visitors.

In the middle, as if the occasion needed more controversy, the game was paused as an allegation of racist abuse from the home crowd towards Lutsharel Geertruida was logged by match officials.

The Premier League immediately launched an investigation into that claimed aberration, vowing support for Geertruida and both clubs.

Howe said: “We don’t condone racism of any form and the club will investigate.” Meanwhile, Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris spoke to Geertruida after the game and said: “He is ok but it is not acceptable. It is important to report and manage the situation properly.”

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Referee Anthony Taylor halted the game after Lutsharel Geertruida was the victim of alleged racist abuse from the crowd (Getty Images)

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Geertruida was ultimate able to celebrate a Sunderland win (Getty Images)

But football-wise, Howe was left asking himself the toughest questions of his reign. As a response to the 7-2 humiliation by Barcelona in the Champions League in midweek, this was poor.

The Geordies will not be heading into Europe’s elite next season. Sunderland extinguished that hope with a performance that married gritty stifling and ruthless taking of chances by Brobbey and Chemsdine Talbi, who equalised.

It was a stunning, brilliant victory on enemy turf masterminded by Le Bris, and executed by his composed, edgy, resilient players.

Sunderland are now unbeaten in 11 derby league games, and United have not won a derby in the league at home since a 5-1 victory in October 2010. That came with five or six of the Black Cats’ first-choice XI out injured.

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Sunderland stretched their unbeaten league run against Newcastle to 11 matches – the longest streak for either team in the fixture’s 128-year history (Getty Images)

Howe’s approach of staying calm and controlling emotions didn’t work for Newcastle at the Stadium of Light in December when they lost 1-0, and here they ran out of energy.

There’s a strong capacity for this fixture to define a manager’s future or at least exaggerate doubts. Ruud Gullit, Alan Pardew, Steve McClaren all, eventually, victims. Is Howe next?

“Some games have bigger consequences than others,” admitted the boss.

It was such a length of time since this battle had been played out at St James’ Park, there was a mocking banner from the home fans: “Welcome to the region’s capital, you’ve been gone so long!”

Check the mood of the leading North East fanzines beforehand. Animosity and wind-ups. Sunderland’s A Love Supreme tweeted an understated: “I do not like Newcastle United Football Club.” The Roker Report quoted ancient Chinese general Sun Tzu’s Art of War, and wrote of the “calmness on the banks of the Wear and anxiety all over Tyneside…”

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Newcastle fans mocked their recently-promoted rivals with a pre-match banner (REUTERS)

There was once simplicity in the rivalry of a local scuffle, but it now includes analysis, and barbs, on the merits and morality of the Saudi Arabian money relaunching Tyneside ambition. And rightly so.

In Newcastle, True Faith described the visitors as a “tinpot lower league outfit,” “a deluded, bitter, small-club-mentality, banging on about “history” while rotting in irrelevance”. And that Sunderland “statistically should be in the bottom three” with no other team in a more false position.

However it’s points totals, not XG that counts. And holding your nerve. There’s a grain of validity in each of the contrasting one-eyed polemics that spiced up the noon start that was supposed to limit the lubrication that could be taken before kick off.

Except some pubs opened at 8am, and, almost inevitably for a game that once saw a United fan punching a police horse in rage after defeat, there were skirmishes in the city pre match.

Only a corner kick from the stadium, some Sunderland fans broke away from their escort from the rail station and there were scuffles amid smoking flares.

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There were pre-game skirmishes outside the stadium (Action Images via Reuters)

Of the trouble in the streets beforehand, Le Bris said: “The fight was only on the pitch. We have to stay respectful. They have a good crowd, we have fantastic fans, the fight is only on the pitch.”

On the pitch, it was a tense, tight tussle too. Sunderland were first to crack, as Anthony Gordon netted the opener on nine minutes. Shorn of five key players, and Luke O’Nien playing at centre back, they made a hash of a simple clearance.

Over-complicating, O’Nien collected the ball in his box and messed up the pass, Nick Woltemade snaffling an interception that sent Gordon dancing in on goal. He skipped to his left and rifled home.

But there was no opening of the dam, no domination. By the 56th minute Sunderland were level, Talbi smashing home from eight yards. Aaron Ramsdale had flapped at a corner, Trai Hume knocked the ball across goal, Brobbey made his presence felt and Talbi finished.

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Anthony Gordon put Newcastle ahead but ultimately to no avail (PA Wire)

Sunderland were making the home crowd fret. Temporary relief came when Malick Thiaw headed home a corner only for Jacob Murphy to have fouled goalkeeper Melker Ellborg.

Le Bris is a clever tactician and adept at stopping teams playing through midfield. He said: “A big achievement. Two derbies won in the same year means a lot.”

Brobbey was a handful all game and he muscled in the winner with black and white bodies falling all around. Whether Howe is himself felled by ambitious owners, or a disillusioned restless crowd, remains to be seen.