Sunderland v Newcastle: Eddie Howe sorry as Guimaraes ’embarrassed’

Sunderland won with the help of an unexpected goalscorer.

Nick Woltemade ended up popping up with a decisive contribution – only not in the way the Newcastle forward will have imagined – after he sent a bullet header through his own net less than a minute into the second half.

Newcastle never recovered.

The visitors may have had one more shot on target than Sunderland in a game lacking goalmouth action but that did not tell the full story.

This was an afternoon when Newcastle damningly set out to be compact rather than ambitious and failed to carry a threat on the break through forwards Woltemade, Anthony Gordon and Anthony Elanga.

The closest Newcastle came to responding was when Guimaraes let fly from outside the area but it was a comfortable enough save for Robin Roefs to make.

Goals have not necessarily been an issue for Newcastle of late because others have stepped up from open play to ease the burden on the frontline.

Lewis Miley came off the bench to briefly put Newcastle in front against Leverkusen midweek. Guimaraes scored against Burnley and Spurs. Malick Thiaw even netted two at Everton.

But there was no repeat at the Stadium of Light.

“We were not there,” Guimaraes said. “No shooting, no crossing, no passing. We should have demanded the ball more.

“We just accepted the way they will play, long balls, they won the duels. In derbies we have to win the duels.”