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Xhaka had started the move from deep with a very good, searching pass down the middle. Then it was a touch of quality from the recently-introduced Le Fee that created the goal, bursting to the byline and cutting back for Brobbey. The Dutch forward’s initial effort bounces back off Ramsdale, but he gets another bite at it, and clips it into the net. As stated Brobbey has been very good all day and no one can begrudge him that goal. Disaster for Newcastle, disaster for Eddie Howe.
Goal! 90 min: Newcastle 1-2 Sunderland (Brobbey)
It’s a goal! For Sunderland! Brobbey’s been excellent and he deserves it …
88 min: Wissa on, Gordon off for Newcastle. Jason Tindall, never less than prominent, stands with his arm around Wissa before the forward comes on, no doubt encouraging him to take his chance in the limited time available.
87 min: Eddie Howe is about to bring on Yoanne Wissa. He’s sitting with the former Brentford man in the dugout now, and taking him through some tactical instructions on his iPad.
84 min: According to Sky Sports, Geertruida of Sunderland has reported being racially abused by someone in the St James’ Park stands. The referee was discussing the matter with the Sunderland staff a few minutes ago.
83 min: It’s all very scruffy. Sunderland are relentless in not allowing Newcastle to settle. Their intensity off the ball is impressive.
Now, Brobbey tees up Diarra with a measured pass. Diarra’s powerful shot is blocked. Talbi then has a crack from distance.
And now, Diarra is taken off, Enzo Le Fee has come on.
82 min: All hands on deck for Newcastle in defence. The ball is rolling around worryingly for a while. Two Sunderland players then appear to tackle each other on the edge. Then Alderete is booked for a foul on Osula.
80 min: Willock releases Gordon with a good diagonal pass. Gordon gets the ball under control, cuts inside, and blazes a shot over. Howe holds his head in his hands by the dugout. We’ve got 10 minutes plus stoppages (which will be lengthy.)
78 min: Osula is on for the Magpies for Barnes. There’s a lull in the stadium after the euphoria of the disallowed goal for Thiaw.
We thought Sunderland would give a decent account of themselves … but they’ve exceeded expectations given the injury problems and the recent very indifferent form.
Disallowed goal for Newcastle! (Thiaw)
It’s there! Or is it? VAR will check Thiaw’s header … Is it handball? Is Murphy interfering with the goalie? It’s no goal. The celebrations were passionate, as you’d expect, but the VAR has intervened and we are all square. Nil-nil, lads! Or in fact one-one.
74 min: Livramento wins a corner for Newcastle. Osula will come on soon.
72 min: Rigg makes inroads for Sunderland from the right and finds Brobbey with a ball to feet. The Dutchman has his back to goal but does well – again – to turn and shoot. It’s blocked from point-blank range by his marker. Brobbey has been good.
70 min: Barnes scuffs a first-time shot horribly from the edge after a long throw for Newcastle … it takes a massive deflection and nearly sneaks into the net!
Newcastle win a corner, Burn is up there, nearly under the crossbar in a crowded penalty area – Ellborg, again unconvincingly, manages a bit of contact on the ball and Sunderland survive.
69 min: Sunderland’s Sadiki smashes a shot at Ramsdale from inside the box! Ramsdale fists it clear! Nervy times for Newcastle. There is another goal in this game. Newcastle are looking threatening at the other end to boot.
66 min: Now the super-sub Murphy digs out an excellent cross from the right, looking for Barnes. O’Nien does well to head it clear. That was a class Beckhamesque cross with plenty of whip on it.
65 min: Good move from Howe to mix it up, you feel. Momentum was slipping and Sunderland were in the ascendancy.
Murphy proves the point by banging a shot from outside the box that warms the hands of Ellborg. He beats it out for a corner, somewhat unconvincingly.
64 min: Trippier evokes a groan from home fans with a poor pass intended for Elanga.
TRIPLE SUB! Jacob Murphy, Joe Willock and Tino Livramento come on for Newcastle. Woltemade off along with Elanga and Trippier.
63 min: No, Sunderland in fact take the corner short. Xhaka exchanges passes with a teammate and bends in a cross that Burn heads clear.
62 min: Xhaka is afforded time and space to hit a powerful shot from distance. It rifles off Ramsey and out for a corner … Xhaka can try another inswinger from the set-piece.
60 min: “The problem with confidence is it is like a little flower: if you step on it, it is away in a second - it is much more difficult to let it grow than to let it die.” (Jurgen Klopp).
Will Newcastle’s confidence now crumble as memories of their midweek pasting at the Camp Nou come flooding back? This is a big half an hour for Eddie Howe.
Goal! 57 min: Newcastle 1-1 Sunderland (Talbi)
Xhaka hits an excellent inswinging corner from the Sunderland right. Ramsdale can only half-punch it clear. Hume sends the ball to the far post on the half-volley, from near the penalty spot, where Diarra tries to chest it over the line … the ball then breaks to Talbi who tucks it into the net from close range! Sunderland in dreamland!
56 min: Brobbey does excellently to win a header from a long ball. Rigg is thus able to belt a shot at Ramsdawl from an angle. The goalie deflects it behind for a corner …
55 min: Feels like a long time since we saw any football. Hope Botman is OK, of course. Sunderland fans will be complaining about time-wasting, no doubt.
53 min: Botman cannot continue. He walks off, very slowly, as Malick Thiaw comes on for Newcastle. It’s a concussion substitution, and it seems the ref is now explaining that to Le Bris and his Sunderland staff.
51 min: Botman of Newcastle is down injured and getting treatment. A head knock?
“With so many teams faltering at the close of the season, turning the race for European football into a slow bicycle race, both teams surely know what a victory today will mean,” emails Kári Tulinius.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if Sunderland start taking risks, and Newcastle will look to punish them for that.”
A slow bicycle race … Mark Lawrenson used to call that “After you Claude” on Football Focus.
50 min: As long as Sunderland don’t lose o-nine.
49 min: “Hi Luke,” writes Richard.
“Oh Justin, nein!”
Justin, before half-time, said “O’Nien” means “Oh no!” in German. It’s close enough.
48 min: O’Nien sends in a high cross. Then he sends in a low cross. Those followed another long thrown. He’s certainly trying to make amends for his first-half mistake.
46 min: Rigg crosses for Brobbey, who wins the ball well in the air and nods it back across goal. But there is no one there and Geertruida appears to complain that Brobbey didn’t send the header in his direction. Now, O’Nien will launch yet another long throw …
Second-half kick-off
Lock and load.
Rob Smyth has Tottenham v Forest here:
Emillia Hawkins has matchday live – including Milk Cup final buildup:
And here’s some more pre-final reading:
Half-time! Newcastle 1-0 Sunderland
That was lively. Did Sunderland get punished for trying to waste a bit of time via Luke O’Nien’s howler, after a goal kick was taken short? I couldn’t possibly comment.
45 min: Hall hits the free straight at Ellborg.
44 min: Hume is booked. We’ll have a minimum of two minutes added.
“The last man to make a huge error in this fixture was the popular Woltemade, who took the brickbats with the good grace to be expected of a man whose German name translates roughly as ‘of a pleasant disposition.’” emails Justin Kavanagh. “Today’s villain, O’Nien, although British, has a Germanic-sounding surname which simply means Oh No in that language!”
43 min: Off the woodwork from Newcastle! Hall crosses dangerously from the hosts’ left and a headed effort by Botman cannons off the far post!
Next up, Sunderland have more defending to do, and there are a few handbags after a cynical foul on a flying Elanga by Hume. Xhaka and Joelinton make friends when it calms down.
42 min: Woltemade releases Hall down the Newcastle left. He fires a low cross into the danger zone but Sunderland’s shape is good as always and they clear.
From the throw-in, Woltemade has half a chance to do something spectacular, controlling and turning and trying a half-volley but he miscues the shot.
40 min: Newcastle have another corner. Nothing comes of it. Sunderland, who to be fair to them are having a go, are immediately on the attack again. Talbi has another chance to shoot after a quick break, but it’s a scuffed effort that Burn thunders clear from around the six-yard box.
40 min: “An interested neutral here, based in Newcastle,” writes Em.
“So far NUFC clearly gonna be happier & I have sat on the fence predicting 1-1 but even with my heart full of neutrality, I do hope it’s not a Dan Burn mistake that costs NUFC the lead (and perhaps with it, it becoming his last top flight appearance at SJP after what’s been a bit of a Boys Own adventure career-wise).
”Also, be interesting to see how Le Bris tries to win the game, with SAFC being safe on 40 points (rather than not try to lose any worse than 1-0).”
38 min: Trippier bends/floats the free-kick to the far post. Is he looking to catch the goalie out, or is he trying to set up a teammate? Either way he gets it wrong, and a valuable attacking position is wasted.
37 min: Barnes, who has perhaps been a bit anonymous, bustles past Geertruida on the Newcastle right wing, falls over and wins an arguably generous free-kick. Geertruida smiles ruefully at the decision.
35 min: Trippier receives the ball in space in his left full-back position. He plays a clever curling pass, long down the line, looking to use Elanga’s pace. But Sunderland’s defence is well set and Talbi nabs the ball and clears the danger.
34 min: We have a little over 10 minutes to go in this lively if somewhat disjointed first half. Here come Sunderland again …
31 min: Sunderland have a very good chance at the other end after Sadiki crosses and Brobbey pulls off a saucy dummy. Then it’s Newcastle hitting back immediately, Elanga escaping on their left, executing a lollipop, before firing left-footed into the side netting. A few fans on the other side may have fancied that was in the onion bag.
30 min: Hall tries a cheeky backheel in the area after the corner. He fluffs it, but Gordon goes down in the vicinity under a challenge from Rigg, and the fans scream for a penalty. The VAR is having a look at it … and it’s no penalty.
29 min: Joelinton takes the ball to the corner flag, wins a corner, and roars his delight to the fans as a result. Sunderland are soaking up plenty of pressure here. Newcastle are playing like they’ve got a point to prove.
28 min: From the edge of the penalty area and in plenty of space, Geertruida nods an angled ball over the top out for a corner, perhaps needlessly. Trippier takes the set-piece, Burn knocks it down at the far post, but Sunderland claim it.
25 min: Geertruida tries to cross from the left for the visitors. It’s deflected to the Toon goalie, Ramsdale. Then Barnes is almost immediately threatening at the other end. But Sunderland snuff out the danger. It’s pretty lively stuff this. Newcastle are probably glad to be dealing with long throws and second balls rather than Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, Lewandowski et al.
23 min: Xhaka sprays a fine pass out to Talbi on the Sunderland left. He runs goalwards, cuts in and bends a brilliant short that looks to be heading for the top corner … but Ramsdale manages to claw it out! From the resulting corner, Rigg blazes a shot high over the cross bar after a useful set-piece routine that saw the ball volleyed back into the danger area from beyond the far post.
21 min: O’Nien sends a ball over the top. Burn cuts it out. Brobbey then commits a foul, again on Botman I think. It’s a bitty game thus far that lacks any kind of fluency, but it was always likely to be. The atmosphere is good and we’ve had an early goal, all right?
20 min: O’Nien gets another long throw launched. But there’s a foul in the area on someone in black and white. Newcastle have a free-kick in their penalty area.
19 min: Aside from that earlier raid by Brobbey, when he was penalised (arguably harshly) for a foul on Botman, Sunderland haven’t shown much in attack. Unless you count the two long throws from O’Nien.
