Adam Johnson the hero as Sunderland claim late derby win over Newcastle
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ByEurosport
Updated 21/12/2014 at 16:13 GMT
Premier League, St James's Park - Newcastle 0 Sunderland 1 (Johnson 90'+1)
Adam Johnson of Sunderland celebrates scoring the opening goal during the Barclays Premier League match between Newcastle United and Sunderland
Image credit: Getty Images
Adam Johnson scored a dramatic injury-time winner as Sunderland beat Newcastle 1-0 in a feisty Tyne-Wear derby.
With the game edging towards a stalemate, Sunderland broke at speed from one end of the pitch to the other with Will Buckley teeing up former Newcastle ball boy Johnson, who rifled in the late winner.
The game had been a thrilling yet attritional affair with eight yellow cards - four for each side - brandished in a derby game that saw Lee Cattermole clock up the game's first foul inside 12 seconds.
The first half's key chances fell to Sunderland's Connor Wickham, who missed two headed openings and Steven Fletcher, who almost scored a brilliant volley, but saw his effort come back off the bar.
Newcastle had Steven Taylor to thank for a vital goal line intervention to prevent Fletcher nodding in Wickham's cross at the far post, with Taylor himself flying into the post and going off for several minutes to require treatment for a facial injury.
Sunderland goalkeeper Costel Pantilimon was in inspired form, keeping out a superb curling effort from the lively Ayoze Perez for Newcastle and tipping over a brilliant late effort from Moussa Sissoko, whose stinging drive from 25 yards was flying in.
With time running out, Johnson missed a chance to win it when he cut inside Newcastle skipper Fabricio Coloccini and put his shot wide, but the winger made no mistake in injury time, capping a fine counter-attack to seal another famous Tyne-Wear derby win for the Black Cats.
KEY MOMENTS
23' - CHANCE! Johnson swings in a teasing free-kick from the right that reaches Wickham at the far post, but he heads wide. Wickham had to score there.
26' - OFF THE BAR! What a goal this would have been for Sunderland! Larsson whips in a brilliant first time cross to Fletcher, who volleys against the top of the bar at full stretch. Almost a superb goal.
39' - CHANCE! Wickham again with the chance. Nice build-up by Sunderland as Fletcher finds Vergini on the right, whose cross is on the head of Wickham, who heads to close to Alnwick, who makes the save.
49' - BRILLIANT DEFENDING! Almost a goal for Sunderland! Wickham digs out a cross from the right that Steven Taylor heads away from under his own crossbar with Fletcher waiting to nod in at the far post. Taylor stays down for a couple of minutes with a nasty looking facial injury. As he headed the ball to safety, Fletcher nudged him into the post and he flew face-first into the frame of the goal.
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Steven Taylor of Newcastle United receives treatment after colliding with the post during the Barclays Premier League match between Newcastle United and Sunderland
Image credit: Getty Images
54' - BIG MISS! How has Gomez missed? Fletcher picks him out but the Spaniard somehow fires over from 10 yards. Had to score.
63' - WHAT A SAVE! Pantilimon pulls off a stunning one-handed save after Sissoko plays in Perez, whose effort from 20 yards seemed destined for the top corner.
73' - BIG CHANCE! Armstrong goes clean through and shoots straight at Pantilimon when he should have squared to the unmarked Sissoko. Another huge chance goes begging.
90' - GREAT SAVE! Great effort by Sissoko! He drills an effort at goal from 25 yards that Pantilimon tips over!
90'+1 - GOAL! Newcastle 0-1 Sunderland: Johnson has scored a late winner for Sunderland! The Black Cats pounce with a slick counter-attack - Larsson finds Buckley, who unselfishly tees up Johnson to fire in what looks like a late winner.
KEY STATS
Sunderland are now unbeaten in their last five Premier League games against Newcastle (W4 D2), winning four in a row for the first time in their history.
At 82%, Pantilimon has the best saves to shots ratio of any goalkeeper in the Premier League this season
Adam Johnson has had a hand in four goals in his last four PL apps versus Newcastle United (three goals, one assist).
Sunderland have now been shown 38 yellow cards in the Premier League this season, more than any other side
Lee Cattermole is the only player with fewer than 250 PL appearances to reach 70 yellow cards.
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Newcastle United's Fabricio Coloccini (L) challenges Sunderland's Steven Fletcher during their English Premier League soccer match at St James' Park in Newcastle, northern England December 21, 2014 (Reuters)
Image credit: Reuters
TALKING POINT
Why can't Alan Pardew beat Sunderland? He may have won one but that seems like a long time ago. Newcastle have lost four consecutive Tyne-Wear derbies under Alan Pardew for the first time in their history. Does he have a problem motivating his players for derby games? Does he lack passion? Whatever the reason, the post mortem has already begun on Tyneside.
MAN OF THE MATCH
Adam Johnson (Sunderland) - Pantilimon played a blinder but Johnson stole the show with the late winner and all round influence on the game. Every time Sunderland went forward, Johnson was involved and he deserved his late goal.
PLAYER RATINGS
Newcastle: Alnwick 7, Janmaat 7, Coloccini 7, S Taylor 8, Dummett 7, Sissoko 8, Colback 7, Tiote 7, Gouffran 6, Perez 8, Ameobi 7. Subs: , Cisse 6, Cabella N/A, Armstrong 7.
Sudnerland: Pantilimon 9, Vergini 7, Coates 7, O'Shea 7, Brown 7, Cattermole 7, Larsson 7, Gomez 6, Johnson 9, Wickham 8, Fletcher 8. Subs: Bridcutt 7, Rodwell N/A, Buckley 8.
THE MATCH IN A TWEET
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