Sunderland’s finest five wins over Newcastle

The Tyne-Wear derby remains one of English football's fiercest rivalries, with Sunderland and Newcastle United battling for bragging rights in the North East for well over a century.

From dramatic late winners to unforgettable performances, the Black Cats have enjoyed some famous victories over their neighbours.

In this article, we look back at five of Sunderland’s finest wins against Newcastle.

5) Newcastle 1-2 Sunderland (August 1999)

The newly promoted Football League champions memorably ended a 19-year derby drought on a soaking wet St. James' Park evening against Ruud Gullit's Magpies.

Both teams were under pressure before the clash as both Chelsea and Leeds had beaten Sunderland away, while Gullit had overseen three defeats in Newcastle’s opening four games.

The Dutchman dropped star strikers Alan Shearer and Duncan Ferguson in favour of unproven youngster Paul Robinson – a Sunderland fan – and paid the price.

Kieron Dyer gave the hosts a first-half lead, but Sunderland responded through Niall Quinn's near-post header before Nicky Summerbee danced through puddles to deliver a cross to the unmarked Kevin Phillips.

The striker, who would go on to win the Premier League's Golden Boot, was initially denied by Newcastle keeper Tommy Wright before he recovered the ball and produced an audacious chip into the far corner.

The victory was part of Peter Reid’s side's outstanding 1999-2000 and 2000-01 campaigns, when Sunderland twice finished seventh in the Premier League.

Beating Newcastle on their own patch added extra gloss to a golden period for the club.

4) Newcastle 0-3 Sunderland (April 2013)

Paolo Di Canio's second game in charge of Sunderland produced one of the most iconic derby wins in modern history.

The Black Cats stunned St James' Park with a ruthless display, as Stephane Sessegnon and David Vaughan were among a trio of goalscorers.

Di Canio's passionate celebrations on the touchline became instantly legendary, while the emphatic scoreline gave Sunderland fans one of their sweetest away days in living memory.

The win also proved crucial in helping the club avoid relegation that season.

3) Sunderland 2-1 Newcastle (October 2013)

Just six months after Di Canio's triumph, Gus Poyet masterminded another memorable derby win, this time at the Stadium of Light.

On-loan striker Fabio Borini wrote himself into Wearside folklore as he came off the bench to fire Sunderland to a 2-1 victory that lifted them from the foot of the Premier League table.

Borini struck with an 85th-minute piledriver to secure just a second home league win for the Black Cats over their neighbours since 1980.

Steven Fletcher had headed the home side in front with just five minutes on the clock in front of a crowd of 46,313.

The result was particularly significant as it came during a difficult campaign, but the derby win injected belief and momentum into Poyet's squad.

For fans, it was another unforgettable day that reinforced Sunderland's dominance in the fixture during that period.

2) Sunderland 1-0 Newcastle (April 2015)

Jermain Defoe's stunning volley at the Stadium of Light is still replayed whenever Tyne-Wear derby highlights are shown.

The veteran striker connected perfectly with a dropping ball from 22 yards, sending it crashing into the net and sparking wild celebrations.

It was made all the more sweeter for how late it arrived in the first half with the Stadium of Light tannoy announcer having just informed the crowd that a minimum of one minute of stoppage time was due to be played.

That goal not only secured Sunderland's fifth consecutive derby win, but also became one of the defining moments of Defoe's career on Wearside. It was a strike that symbolised his knack for producing in the biggest games.

Like his two predecessors – Poyet and Di Canio – Dutch boss Dick Advocaat was able to celebrate a win over Newcastle in his second match in charge.

1) Newcastle 0-3 Sunderland (February 2014)

The Black Cats had clawed their way out of the relegation zone by February 2014, losing just once in eight as they headed into another crucial derby date.

Borini coolly converted a penalty inside 20 minutes to silence the home crowd and Sunderland were suddenly rampant, taking a two-goal lead into the break.

Jack Colback sealed the triumph in the second half, striding from midfield before sweeping home a third.

The emphatic 3-0 win gave Sunderland fans bragging rights and etched their name into the record books – three consecutive derby victories over Newcastle, a feat not achieved in more than 90 years.