📸 Stadium of Light erupts as Sunderland gifted derby lead | OneFootball

The return of top-flight football in Sunderland will be something worth celebrating for the duration of the 2025/26 Premier League season, and a resumed bitter clash against rivals Newcastle United is once again one of the calendar highlights.

With the Black Cats playing host to the Magpies in one of the most hotly-contested rivalries in Europe, it's Régis Le Bris' outfit that have taken the lead just after the break, sending the Stadium of Light into rapture.

A teasing cross into the area from Nordi Mukiele was ultimately headed home for an own goal by budding Newcastle goalscoring hero Nick Woltemade, for the first Tyne-Wear derby goal in the Premier League since the 2015/16 season, featuring goals from Jermain Defoe and Aleksandar Mitrović,

Across what has been a cagey clash despite the heated undertones, it perhaps is no more than Sunderland deserve after they held Newcastle to just 0.02 xG in the opening half.

Should this result hold, Sunderland would return to winning ways and temporarily climb into 7th.

Ha'way the Lads, indeed!

📸 Carl Recine - 2025 Getty Images