Sunderland face Newcastle United in the Premier League on Sunday lunchtime.
From now until the inevitable heat death of the universe, there will not be a single meeting between Sunderland and Newcastle United that isn’t deemed mightily important by those involved.
It is a feud that goes back generations and that will stretch on indefinitely for generations to come, one that is as natural in its enmity as cats quarrelling with dogs, and that, on Sunday, as the clock strikes noon on Tyneside, will once again be renewed.
But even by the notable yardstick against which these things are typically measured, you suspect that this weekend’s trip to St. James’ Park could be an especially significant one for Regis Le Bris’ men as they look to define the latter stages of their season.
Nobody would deny that Sunderland have enjoyed a superb return to life in the Premier League. Largely dismissed as relegation fodder before a ball had been kicked, the Black Cats have surpassed all expectations, and have played themselves into a position of presumed safety with a decent chunk of the campaign still remaining. They recently reached the 40-point threshold that Le Bris has been aspiring to for so long, and in doing so, have afforded themselves a luxury that few would have predicted in the aftermath of their promotion from the Championship last summer.
That being said, recent form has been patchy. Since their last meeting with Newcastle - a memorable 1-0 victory at the Stadium of Light in mid-December - Sunderland have won just three times in the Premier League, and have also suffered the ignominy of crashing out of the FA Cup at the hands of League One strugglers Port Vale. Perhaps more worrying still, the Black Cats have scored just one non-penalty goal since they beat Burnley 3-0 on February 2nd - a run of eight matches across all competitions.
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In other words, there is a danger that, for all of their exemplary work thus far, Sunderland’s season could be on the cusp of fizzling out a little. The gap between themselves and seventh-placed Brentford is an entirely assailable five points, but as results continue to falter somewhat, any hopes of making up that ground dwindle accordingly.
As such, Sunday’s game against Newcastle isn’t just about the usual bragging rights, but also about injecting a measure of vigour and purpose into the final stretch of what has been a memorable return to the top flight.
After Sunday, Le Bris will have three weeks before his side host Tottenham Hotspur on home soil in their next fixture - a clash that, based on recent output, looks wholly winnable. A positive result against their bitter rivals, coupled with the opportunity to welcome back a few names from their lengthy injury list, and Sunderland can head into that match, and those beyond it, with a real sense of optimism. Come up short, and the next couple of months might end up feeling decidedly flat.
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