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5 hours ago
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As recently as Friday morning Eddie Howe talked about some results having “bigger consequences than others”. This was most definitely one of them.
In completing a Premier League double against Newcastle, Régis Le Bris’s promoted Sunderland surely consigned Howe and his players to one of their most chastening afternoons at St James’ Park.
Coming four days after their dissection in Barcelona and at the hands of a seriously under-strength Sunderland it is no exaggeration to say that one of Le Bris’s biggest triumphs of an outstanding season represented a disaster for Howe.
“Welcome to the region’s capital,” declared a banner in the Gallowgate End but it did not take too long until Luke O’Nien’s visit to Tyneside took a turn for the worst.
When O’Nien, operating at centre-half in place of the hamstrung Dan Ballard, attempted to play out from the back, he succeeded merely in passing straight to Nick Woltemade.
The Germany striker, deployed, once again, in midfield here, responded by nudging the ball to Anthony Gordon whose eventual shot left Le Bris’s second choice goalkeeper, Melker Ellborg, with no hope of a save.
With only nine minutes on the clock poor O’Nien had self destructed but, creditably, he and Sunderland galvanised themselves impressively. When Granit Xhaka’s pass bisected Howe’s backline Aaron Ramsdale did very well to tip Chemsdine Talbi’s swerving shot off it’s apparently inexorable course towards the top corner.
If that was a fine save, Ellborg, had, bar picking the ball out of his net, relatively little to do. Given that two of Le Bris’s first choice defenders – the recently injured Nordi Mukiele and Reinildo – were judged only fit enough for the bench, the visitors were coping with Howe’s attack surprisingly well.
Although Anthony Elanga directed a decent chance into the side netting, a Newcastle XI missing the injured Sandro Tonali’s midfield quality still looked perhaps a little traumatised by the memories of last Wednesday night’s 7-2 Champions League thrashing at Barcelona.
Sven Botman and Dan Burn certainly looked a slightly nervous in the face of Brian Brobbey’s physicality and ability to hold the ball up – even if Botman felt sufficiently confident to advance and direct a header against the woodwork at the end of a tight opening half shaded by Newcastle.
Early in the second period Botman was forced off with a head injury and replaced by Malick Thiaw. By now Sunderland were improving and Chris Rigg, a boyhood Newcastle fan, forced Ramsdale into a decent save.
Then, after pouncing on the fallout from Xhaka’s resultant corner, Ramsdale’s unconvincing punch and Trai Hume’s ensuing half volley, Talbi equalised, stabbing home from close range. Hume, incidentally, had done well against Elanga in his less preferred left-back role.
When Ramsdale was forced to parry a subsequent shot from Noah Sadiki, Newcastle fans grew nervous but Sunderland were starting to tire and Howe’s team had a goal disallowed after Jacob Murphy blocked Ellborg ahead of Thiaw heading a corner home.
The moment had arrived for Le Bris to refresh his side and the sight of Enzo Le Fee removing his tracksuit top encouraged the Sunderland fans perched high in the Leazes End. Le Fee’s convalescence from injury had kept him on the bench for most of the match but now he stepped off it to create the winner for the excellent Brobbey.
When Le Fee surged to the byline and cut the ball back for the former Ajax striker, Brobbey was initially denied by Ramsdale but he made no mistake from the rebound. Once the final whistle blew and Le Bris had shaken Eddie Howe’s hand Le Fee and Brobbey were the first and second players Sunderland’s manager hurried to hug.
