Sunderland rub salt in Newcastle's wounds with savage team photo after hard-fought derby victory

Sunderland registered their seventh win of the 2025-26 Premier League campaign as they beat rivals Newcastle 1-0 courtesy of a 46th-minute Nick Woltemade own goal. Earning three crucial points, the Black Cats climbed up to seventh in the Premier League table as they overtook Manchester United, although the Red Devils have a game in hand.

Sunderland's unbeaten run in the Premier League against the Magpies continues, with this victory the first Tyne-Wear derby in the league since 2016, a game which ended in a 1-1 draw. Since then, Sunderland went down from the English top-flight and even played in League One before heading back to the Premier League this season. In all competitions, the two teams' last meeting was in January 2024 in an FA Cup clash, where Eddie Howe's Newcastle side registered a comfortable 3-0 victory. 

After the FA Cup clash at the Stadium of Light last year, the victorious Magpies squad posed for a team photograph in front of the travelling fans. Now, almost two years later, Sunderland finally got their revenge as at full-time, they posed for a similar photograph to truly press home their victory.

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Sunderland boss Regis le Bris was understandably elated after the derby triumph as he told Sky Sports: "Proud and happy. It was a derby and we were expected [to win] by our fans. This win is well deserved, we were mature and the lads were incredible. During the first half tactically it was really good, just small details about the shape, then it was a question of being more clinical in the final third. We had good control and some times were more patient. 

"It was a good level of maturity, so happy for the lads and it is good for our fans. It's good for the region, the club, the fans. We knew before it was a special game but we have to reset quickly as we have another tough challenge in Brighton in one week so let's go again."

Ahead of the kick-off in the Tyne–Wear derby, players from both sides paid tribute to Black Cats legend Gary Rowell, who passed away aged 68 after suffering from leukaemia. Sunderland had also paid a sweet tribute to the icon before the game, saying in an official statement: "Gary passed away on Saturday afternoon – 50 years to the very day he made his Sunderland debut – surrounded by his sons Chris and Peter, who accompanied him when he was inducted into the SAFC Hall of Fame in 2020. A moment and honour richly deserved; Rowell described this as ‘the best night of my life’."

And replying to Sunderland’s tribute on X, Newcastle wrote: "Rest in peace, Gary. The thoughts of everybody at Newcastle United are with the family, those who knew him and the wider north-east community who looked up to him."