Gordon determined to avoid another derby disaster

SUNDERLAND keeper Craig Gordon has warned his team-mates not to get caught up in the derby atmosphere once again as they attempt to set the record straight against arch-rivals Newcastle.

The 28-year-old Scotland international was a stunned bystander as he watched the Magpies’ 5-1 rout of their neighbours at St James’ Park on October 31 from the bench following his return from injury.

Belgian Simon Mignolet was the man who had to pick the ball out of his net five times after Kevin Nolan plundered a hat-trick and Shola Ameobi maintained his impressive record against the Black Cats with a double.

Amid the soul-searching which engulfed Wearside in the wake of the club’s worst derby defeat in more than 50 years, manager Steve Bruce admitted that his team had been too young, too naive and had simply not turned up for what for the fans represents one of the two biggest games of the season.

The second of those fixtures takes place at the Stadium of Light tomorrow, and Gordon knows he and his team-mates cannot afford to let the occasion get to them once again.

He said: “It’s a time for calm heads. If the manager said that’s what he thought the main problem was the last time, then I am sure he is spot-on with that.

“He has had a lot of time to reflect on it, as we all have, and we will be making sure that doesn’t happen again.

“We have got a few players back from injury and suspension now and we are slowly starting to get our squad back together, although it is not at full strength, as Newcastle won’t be.

“It’s a case of both squads being tested to the full, especially after the amount of fixtures we have had recently, and it will be a time for experienced players to go in there and play.”

That maybe easier said than done, however, with those on the black and white half of the Tyne-Wear divide having celebrated long and hard, and their red and white counterparts having contemplated little other than revenge during the months since.

Gordon said: “You can’t escape that. Everybody knows how important this is. A lot of supporters will say these are the most important games, regardless of league position or cup runs or whatever.

“These are the games they look at and it is up to us to make sure they have got something to shout about come the end of it.”

The good news for Gordon is that Newcastle’s goal threat will be severely blunted tomorrow with the absence of the Toon’s top scorer, Andy Carroll.

Manager Alan Pardew yesterday admitted the 22-year-old will not be included in the squad despite travelling to Dubai for a warm weather break in a bid to aid his recovery from a thigh injury.He will be joined on the sidelines by midfielder Cheik Tiote, who begins a three-match ban.

Pardew said: (Carroll’s) injury was a little bit worse than we thought.

“It’s a thigh injury, so it’s a kicking muscle and we can’t chance that being torn.

“(The derby is) everything to him, being local, and it is just a huge disappointment for the player.”

Pardew is hoping Shola Ameobi can plug the gap left by the devastating loss of Carroll.

“Shola has played brilliantly since I have been here, and I am a big admirer of his,” said Pardew.

“He knows this club inside out, he knows what it means, so he’s a very important figure in the team and in the dressing room.

“We will have to see how he comes through tomorrow. It was his first day’s real training today, but I am confident he will be available and I will select the team on the day, probably.”

Ameobi, Peter Lovenkrands, and Leon Best – who scored a hat-trick in his last Premier League game, a 5-0 rout of West Ham – will battle it out for the two starting berths.