Luke O’Nien has taken aim at Newcastle United fans with a cheeky social media jibe after Sunderland’s derby win
Luke O’Nien aimed a cheeky dig at Newcastle United supporters after Sunderland’s dramatic derby win at St James’s Park - questioning why there were “loads of empty seats” at full-time.
Brian Brobbey’s 90th-minute winner secured a memorable comeback victory on Tyneside, as Sunderland overturned an early deficit to complete a first league double over their rivals since 2014-15. Anthony Gordon had fired Newcastle ahead inside nine minutes after capitalising on an O’Nien mistake, and the hosts looked in control for long periods of the first half, with Sven Botman also hitting the post.
The game was briefly halted in the second half following reports of discriminatory abuse towards Lutsharel Geertruida, before Sunderland levelled through Chemsdine Talbi after a chaotic sequence in the box. Noah Sadiki then went close to putting the visitors ahead, but it was Brobbey who delivered the decisive moment late on, sparking wild celebrations in the away end.
Those celebrations contrasted with scenes elsewhere inside the stadium, where several home supporters left early - something O’Nien referenced in his post-match message. Newcastle United have not won a Tyne-Wear derby at St James’s Park since 2010 and are without a league win in the fixture since 2011, which has compounded Magpie misery on Tyneside following Sunday's game, which also saw Sunderland creep ahead in overall wins in the fixture.
Here is what Luke O’Nien said: "Chris Rigg & The whole of Sunderland after 10 minutes… Swipe right for 90 minutes. Winning at St James’ Park… special. Knowing what it means to this city. That makes it even bigger. But if I’m honest… I had to do it the hard way. 10 minutes in… mistake.
“And in that moment, you feel like the ground could swallow you up. Like you’ve let down a whole city. That feeling is real. And it’s horrendous. But this is where the work kicks in. For years, I’ve worked on my mindset for moments like this, and it’s something I now try to pass on to the young players we mentor through Inner Game Academy.
“Breathe. Self-talk. Next action. Not “why did I do that?” Not “what are people thinking?” Just… next action. It all sounds simple in theory. Putting it into practice in moments like that is the hard part. Every player makes mistakes. The best players don’t dwell. They respond.
“I’m so proud of this team. They had my back when I needed it most. And after the error, they kept demanding from me and from each other relentlessly. To win it in the 90th minute at St James’… That’s one I will never forget. P.s. Why are there loads of empty seats in the background?"
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