Fears for Eddie Howe’s Newcastle future after late winner extends Sunderland hoodoo | EUROtoday

“Some people think football is a matter of life and death… I can assure them it’s much more serious than that.” During these perilous and seemingly doom-laden days, Bill Shankly’s well-known quote will probably come throughout as hyperbolic drivel to some, and who can blame them. But as a abstract of, and perception into the extreme, all-consuming ardour for the sport, that nugget nonetheless hits the spot. Perhaps, by no means extra so than in the present day – Newcastle vs Sunderland, one of many nice footballing derbies.

As with most bitter rivalries in sport the actual story started off the pitch – this North East battle was cast from a historical past of financial competitors, jealousy and animosity that has simmered all through the centuries, coming to a boil when these two groups play in opposition to one another.

“It’s probably the most intense derby game there is,” mentioned Newcastle supervisor Eddie Howe. “The North East is a hotbed for football, obsessed with the game. This is an intense rivalry, one that we respect.”

Which brings us to in the present day’s match. Having respect for the “intense rivalry” is one thing that Newcastle followers accused their staff of not having in December when, because of a Nick Woltemade personal purpose, Sunderland gained 1-0. That in and of itself was unhealthy sufficient in case you are of a black and white persuasion, but it surely was the way of the defeat as a lot because the loss itself that rankled with the Newcastle trustworthy – to make use of a sporting cliché (apologies to the literary varieties studying this…) they didn’t present up.

That makes in the present day all of the extra intriguing. Throw that in with the very fact in the present day’s hosts can not afford to lose once more to their arch-rivals, their 7-2 midweek defeat to Barcelona, Sunderland’s faltering type and you’ve got a recipe for a passionate, no-holds-barred battle the place, for some, for a couple of hours at the least, the outcome issues greater than life itself.