'It's good for the region' - Regis Le Bris beaming as Sunderland defeat Newcastle

DERBY DELIGHT: Sunderland manager Regis Le Bris. Pic: Steve Welsh/PA Wire.

DAN Burn's bruised sternum isn't the only thing that's hurting on Tyneside right now.

Eddie Howe spoke enthusiastically about his side's 'arousal levels' before the game, but his confidence seemed premature in the extreme. This was as flaccid as it gets from Newcastle, or to give them their full title on the Stadium of Light scoreboard - 'visitors'.

Regis Le Bris insisted victory, and with it a 10th game unbeaten against the old enemy in the league, was 'good for the region'.

Try telling that to the thousands of Geordies sheepishly preparing to head into work around the North-East, where being of a red and white persuasion is the only life choice to ensure the avoidance of ridicule this particular Monday morning.

"It wasn't our finest game," Howe reflected afterwards, in a rather less ebullient mood than in the run-up.

Burn went to hospital for scans on his ribs after a fearful sliding collision with Nordi Mukiele's knees that forced the most famous recent son of Blyth off before half-time.

The England defender wasn't the only one left nursing bruises, although in the visitors' case, it was mainly to their ego as the balance of North-East football power continues to shift towards their sworn enemies.

Some 14 years of hurt continued after a performance which disgruntled Newcastle supporters might eventually forgive but will never forget. The manager added: "The effort was there but the quality wasn't.

"We know how much this means and all the focus on today was huge. We tried to deliver our best performance, and we haven't done that. We feel disappointed in ourselves and that we left something on the pitch and that's a horrible feeling.

"The quality was missing in both halves; we were disappointed with our creative output. There was more intensity and more bravery on the ball after the second-half changes without creating the chances. Their goalkeeper wasn't overworked.

"It was a game of really few chances decided by a freak goal and we could not create the opening we wanted. The goal came at a really bad time and was bad in its construction. I thought we had defended pretty well."

Freak goal sums it up pretty well.

Nick Woltemade probably dreamed of deciding this local turf 'wor' with an unstoppable header - but not quite like this as he secured an infamous place in Wear-Tyne derby history.

Somewhere in Bavaria, Bayern Munich behemoth Karl-Heinz Rummenigge poured himself a celebratory glass of something rather expensive and no doubt felt a smug sense of satisfaction at his rather unkind assertion when the German moved to St James's Park earlier this season, that only an idiot would pay £69m for his services.

After a forgettable first-half, the second half roared into life inside 59 seconds thanks to the hapless Woltemade, who will forever be remembered in the re-telling of this fixture for one costly swish of his peroxide locks.

When Newcastle failed to clear a throw into their box, the ball was recycled to Mukiele to send over a cross which, inexplicably in attempts to clear, the striker powered past Aaron Ramsdale and in off the underside of the bar with the kind of deft glancing header he normally reserves for the other end of the pitch.

After a performance which provided a fitting tribute to Wearside legend Gary Rowell, whose passing at the age of 68 following the former Sunderland forward's lengthy battle with leukaemia was announced on Saturday, skipper Granit Xhaka said: "With derbies, you have to win. It doesn't matter how."

The hosts moved up to seventh, four points clear of their vanquished rivals onto 26 points - or comfortably two-thirds of the way to Premier League safety if you want to put it in those terms.

The Swiss international added: "This team deserves much more respect as where we are in the league is amazing and we're working really hard. In the first half we had much more control with the ball but it's normal you don't do it for 90 minutes.

"After the goal, the game changed a bit, but we were very good without the ball and deserved the three points for sure."

Newcastle have salvaged precisely zero points from losing positions this season and maintained that unwanted record after falling behind. Bruno Guimaraes had a tame shot easily gathered by Robin Roefs before Sunderland finally mustered a first shot on target with less than 20 minutes to go, Aaron Ramsdale saving at his near post from substitute Wilson Isidor.

"Proud, happy," Sunderland head coach Regis Le Bris answered in response to being asked his immediate emotions after further enhancing an already sky-high reputation among the Wearside faithful.

The Frenchman added: "We were expected to win by our fans, and I think the victory is well deserved. The lads were incredible. We had good control of the game, and it rounded-off a good day for our fans.

"We knew before that it was a special game and it's good for the club, the supporters and the region."

That is, unless you happen to be a Mag who shares an office with Mackems at the start of a working week which will probably end up feeling more like a year. Pulling a pre-Christmas sickie might just be the order of the day.

Sunderland (4-2-3-1): Roefs 8; Mukiele 8, Ballard 8, Alderte 8, Reinaldo 7; Xhaka 7, Sadiki 7; Traore 6 (Hume 70, 6), Le Fee 7, Talbi 6 (Mundle 83, 6); Brobbey 4 (Isidor 70, 6).

Newcastle (4-3-3): Ramsdale 5; Livramento 5, Thaw 5, Burn 6 (Schar 42, 5), Hall 5; Tonali 4 (Willock 59, 3) Guimaraes 5, Miley 5; Elanga 3 (Murphy 59, 3), Woltemade 3 (Wissa 75, 3), Gordon 3 (Barnes 59, 4).

Referee: Peter Bankes.