Sunderland and Newcastle fair play compared before Tyne-Wear derby | OneFootball

Sunderland visit St James Park on Sunday for the Tyne-Wear derby, aiming to complete a league double after December’s victory. According to TransferMarkt, Newcastle hold the stronger fair play record this season.

The Black Cats edged the reverse fixture when Magpies club-record signing Nick Woltemade put through his own net. It was the first Premier League derby between the clubs since 2016, arriving amid an impressive first half of Sunderland’s return to the top flight.

Eddie Howe’s side will push to atone for that defeat and arrest a poor derby run stretching over the last 14 years. Newcastle have not won a league derby on Tyneside since Kevin Nolan’s hat-trick inspired a 5-1 success over Steve Bruce’s Sunderland in October 2010.

In the current fair play table, Newcastle are ninth with 48 yellow cards and three reds. Sunderland sit 15th on 60 yellows and two reds, while Arsenal lead the standings on 40 yellows and no reds and Chelsea are 20th with 66 yellows and seven reds.

Luke O’Nien was dismissed moments after coming on against Manchester City, accounting for one of Sunderland’s red cards. Intensity is expected, but both sides’ disciplinary records will be under the microscope as the derby returns to St James Park.

Source: Sunderland Echo