Sunderland Stage Famous Magpies Group Snapshot In the Wake of Crucial Local Rivalry Victory.

An altered coaching staff and an almost completely different team – but someone at Sunderland wasn't going to forget.

Almost 24 months prior, after a dominant Newcastle performance at the Stadium of Light in an FA Cup tie, the rivals marked the occasion with a full squad photograph on the pitch.

On this occasion, the situation were turned on their head.

Nick Woltemade's mistake proved sufficient to give Sunderland a long-awaited win over their rivals in the first Premier League Tyne-Wear derby since 2016 – prompting the hosts to mimic Newcastle's post-match snapshot at full-time.

“Forever inventive, resourceful, flexible,” said with a grin Black Cats manager Regis le Bris when asked about who proposed the idea.

Defender Dan Ballard, who scored an own goal in that 2024 FA Cup tie, was the lone Sunderland player to start in the two games.

He disclosed how he was eager to avenge the loss, stating: “Words can't express it. It was so painful for the players and for the fans. We felt we had failed them, so we're overjoyed with this win.”

“That experience hardened us. We came in with more quality in this team, true characters, we dug deep, fought really hard and I thought we earned the win.”

‘Derbies you have to win, it does not matter how’

Sitting in seventh Sunderland are having a excellent return to the top flight following promotion via the play-offs last season.

The Black Cats have 26 points on the board in 16 games, their most at this stage of a Premier League campaign since 2000-01.

They are undefeated in the league at the Stadium of Light, which had an incredible atmosphere for most of Sunday afternoon.

“In local rivalry matches, the result is everything, the performance secondary,” said captain Granit Xhaka. “This team deserves much more – where we are in the league is remarkable and we're working really hard.”

Sunderland are also unbeaten in their last 10 league games against Newcastle, their best-ever streak without defeat against the Magpies.

Newcastle's last league win over Sunderland was all the way back in 2011.

Manager Regis le Bris said he was “delighted and satisfied” with the performance.

“It was a derby and we were expected [to win] of our fans,” he stated. “This win is rightfully earned, we were mature and the lads were superb.”

“It's good for the area, the club, the fans. We knew before it was a special game, but we have to refocus immediately as we have another difficult test in Brighton in one week.”