Newcastle United's English head coach Eddie Howe applauds the fans at the end of the English Premier League football match between Newcastle United and Sunderland at St James' Park in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, north east England on March 22, 2026. (Photo by ANDY BUCHANAN / AFP via Getty Images)placeholder image
Newcastle United's English head coach Eddie Howe applauds the fans at the end of the English Premier League football match between Newcastle United and Sunderland at St James' Park in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, north east England on March 22, 2026. (Photo by ANDY BUCHANAN / AFP via Getty Images) | AFP via Getty Images
Newcastle United 1-2 Sunderland: Anthony Gordon’s early goal was cancelled out by second-half strikes from Chemsdine Talbi and Brian Brobbey.
Eddie Howe and his players were booed off the pitch as they suffered another derby defeat to Sunderland at St James’ Park.
Newcastle were gifted an early lead as Anthony Gordon punished a Sunderland defensive error to make it 1-0 to the hosts inside the opening 10 minutes. The Magpies held onto their lead until half-time but dropped off in the second half as Sunderland took full advantage with Chemsdine Talbi making it 1-1 after Newcastle were unable to clear a corner.
Brian Brobbey then grabbed a 90th-minute winner for the visitors to confirm a Tyne-Wear derby double over Newcastle and leapfrog them in the table in the process.
Sunderland move up to 11th while Newcastle drop to 12th heading into the final seven matches of the season.
The result piles more pressure on Howe, whose side exited the Champions League with a 7-2 defeat at Barcelona on Wednesday night.
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Eddie Howe reacts to Sunderland defeat
“Very, very painful,” Howe said. “Most of all, painful for our supporters, and they're the ones I think about now.
“I've got very little to sort of use as an excuse, and I don't want to go down that road. I never have, I never believed in that method once you haven't performed, and you know the size of the game, and you don't deliver.
“You expect to be criticised, and you understand why. So I understand the reaction at the end of the game.
“We haven't done our jobs well enough today, and we're desperately disappointed in ourselves. Yes, I think we have to absorb it, and all we can do, the only thing we can do, is try and come back stronger from it.”
On the goals conceded, Howe added: “I think there were two really poor goals to concede, both in the last actions and the bits before.
“That's not been a one-off for us, we've defended poorly for a period of time, certainly since the turn of the year, we're well aware of that.
“So, yeah, all we can do, as I said earlier, is return for the first time to the training pitch to try and rectify some of the errors.”
It’s now three weeks until Newcastle’s next game as they return to Premier League action after the international break at Crystal Palace. The Magpies’ next match at St James’ Park is against Howe’s former club AFC Bournemouth on April 18.
Eddie Howe under pressure
Amid a poor season for Newcastle, Howe reiterated his commitment to his role as head coach.
“I'm committed, I'm fully committed to the job,” Howe added. “I'm disappointed in my delivery today, and my delivery the last week.
“The Barcelona game was very tough, today was even tougher.
“As I said after the Brentford game, absorb that blame myself. I don't look to deflect it anywhere, I certainly won't deflect it to my players, I protect my players until my last breath.
“I think that's how I look at it. It's going to be a tough, painful few days for me.”
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