Sunderland v Newcastle preview: Toon looking for long-awaited win over rivals

Newcastle travel to Sunderland on Super Sunday looking for a first win in six games against their north-east rivals.

The Toon have lost their last four games against Sunderland, scoring just one goal, but both have installed new managers since they last played in December.

Sunderland ran out 1-0 winners at St James' Park that time, but both Alan Pardew and Gus Poyet have since departed.

• vs

• S'land v Newcastle

• April 5, 2015

Dick Advocaat's Sunderland are in severe relegation danger having not won since the end of January, while John Carver's Newcastle are stuck in mid-table and out of form, losing their last three.

Team news

Sunderland are without Wes Brown due to a knee injury, although they still hope to have the defender back before the end of the season.

Sky Sports' Jamie Redknapp joins Ed Draper as they preview the Super Sunday game between Sunderland and Newcastle

Newcastle defender Massadio Haidara will not play again this season after undergoing surgery to remove a cyst from the knee which has forced him to sit out the last two games. He joins fellow defenders Steven Taylor (Achilles), Paul Dummett (knee) and midfielders Cheick Tiote (also knee) and Siem de Jong (collapsed lung) on the sidelines.

Midfielder Mehdi Abeid could be involved after recovering from a thigh problem, but winger Rolando Aarons (hamstring) will not be risked while Fabricio Coloccini and Papiss Cisse continue their respective suspensions.

Opta facts

Sunderland are unbeaten in their last six Premier League games against Newcastle United (W4 D2), winning the last four for the first time in their history.

Sunderland head coach Dick Advocaat was very pragmatic with regards to his team's favourable head to head record against Newcastle

Sunderland have won just two of their last 16 Premier League matches at the Stadium of Light (W2 D7 L7) and failed to score in four of their last five home matches.

Those nine goals conceded in the final five minutes of top-flight games in 2014-15 have cost Newcastle United eight points.

The two players with the most yellow cards in the Premier League this season could meet in this match – Lee Cattermole and Jack Colback (10 yellows each).

Merson's prediction

Sunderland ran out 1-0 winners in the reverse fixture in December

This is a really tight game. It’s a massive derby which is a cup final to both sets of supports and I think both sides will be petrified to lose.

However, if the results go the way I think they will then Sunderland have a chance to open up a bit of a gap on the relegation places. I just can’t see that happening.

Lee Cattermole is back and that’s a huge boost for the Sunderland but it’s tough to side with either team. Sunderland will have to bomb on as the home side and take the game to Newcastle but that could well play into Carver’s side’s hands. This one has a draw written all over it.

We look back to Newcastle's 4-1 win back in 2006

PAUL PREDICTS: 1-1