Lasses look ahead to Tyne-Wear derby | OneFootball

Deanna Cooper: "We know it's a big game against them. Our fans are going to play a massive part for us and we can have some confidence off the back of we've played them three times and won three times.

"We can take that into that game - we're full of confidence and ready to get the result."

Emily Murphy: "A big thing for us is that every game we come into now is a cup final, in a sense. We're here to secure promotion and so winning every game is massive. But the added bonus of winning a derby, and also the build-up to a derby, is great. Similar to what Deanna said, the fans are going to be massive, but also bringing the passion of the club and the history of the derby to the game is a massive thing."

Beth Lumsden: "Playing Sunderland makes it that bit bigger. Like Em said, every game we need to win now for us getting where we want to be. But coming against Sunderland creates a little bit more excitement. We've played them three times and beat them three times, so a fourth would be a nice bit to add on!

"It feels like ages ago now [since last season's 2-1 win at the Stadium of Light]. I knew the game was big before we went into it, but I think it was not until after - you probably found as well, when you scored at St. James'… the reception that you get from the fans, because it means so much to them. It's nice to score any goal, but scoring two at the Stadium of Light was obviously good, meaning that we won the game.

"Our fans were just in that corner, but that corner was a lot louder than their fans the whole game. We managed to run over to them for the first goal and celebrate with them. Hopefully we can reinvent that again."

Deanna: "We got a photo in front of them at full time…"

Beth: "That was really good, and it looked like we brought more fans than them in that photo as well. Yeah, it was nice to celebrate with the fans at the end. It was a special day."

Emily: "I remember getting the p*ss taken out of me because I knee-slid a goal that I didn't even score [in last season’s return game at St. James' Park]!

"I think it's the passion of the game, and we scored quite late, so it was very pent-up, and it was built up. When you play at stadiums such as the Stadium of Light or St. James', you want a performance for the fans.

"We'd gone so long without scoring a goal, that goal was really everything. Shania [Hayles] came on as a sub and scored - I felt like I ran the length of the pitch to get that ball to her - so I think everything was just an extra sweet moment. To beat them in the way we did was special.

"It was good for the fans, and good for young girls that are coming and watching. They may not know much about the derby and the history, but actually just enjoying watching the football, that's also a big thing."

Deanna: "We'd had our fans at the Stadium of Light game before, so we all knew we were going for a record crowd that year. The record up until that point was the Stadium of Light game, which was 15,000ish, so to double that and more [setting a new second-tier record of 38,502] was insane.

"It's one of the first times a lot of us had played in front of a crowd that big and the added pressure of it being the derby made it super exciting. But I remember us preparing that week and just being like, 'it's just another game at the end of the day', just to keep that mental block on the fact that it's going to be such a big game. But I remember it being a really good performance, and to get that goal late on was crazy."

Deanna: "We’ve all scored now, haven't we, against Sunderland?"

Beth: "This season [a 3-1 win at St. James' Park] was a bit of a tighter game, I think, wasn't it? Then Murph came on and scored two, and sealed it off. Doing it in front of our fans at St. James' obviously made it more special."

Deanna: "Anna [Tamminen] making that penalty save was a massive moment for us. I'm pretty sure literally a couple of minutes later, we went up the other end and I scored a header, and then Murph came on and got two. I think that moment from her changed that game massively, because it was a very open game up until that point."

Emily: "The goals were great - don't get me wrong - for myself, but as a sub, I'm always itching to get on. I think there was an added itch to get on for Sunderland, just getting into the 50/50s; putting in big challenges is my football, do you know what I mean? I enjoy that. I enjoy the tussle.

"I just remember, really, ten minutes before half time, and we were going to make a sub, and I was itching to go on, hoping to come on, 'I hope it's me, I hope it's me.' I think the sub ended up coming later in the second half and two goals were an added bonus.

"But the adrenaline and excitement was just… something was going to happen. I'd said to my parents beforehand, 'if I come on, I will score today.' I mean, I didn't expect to get two but here we are. It's the beauty of it sometimes."

Beth: "I think we'll prepare the same for next weekend as we do every other game. I know that's cliche to say but you have to try and take the emotions out of it and the occasion out of it, and just stick to the game plan and try and get the three points at the end of it.

"Then, when you do get three points at the end, you enjoy the moment, the atmosphere and the occasion."

Emily: "Yeah, Beth's spot on. The prep's the exact same. I think the only thing that changes is probably you've a bit more of an edge going into challenges and awareness to win in those final moments.

"Other than that, the prep remains the same - and you aim to have a good week in the build up to it."

Lumsden, Murphy and Cooper were speaking to UNITED, our official men's matchday programme - packed with exclusive interviews, features and all the latest from around the club. Grab your copy outside St. James' Park before each home game.

UNITED is also on sale at Gateshead International Stadium for all Newcastle United Women fixtures - featuring more exclusive content from inside Cochrane Park. It's priced at just £1.50.