Aleksandar Mitrovic rescues late draw for Newcastle against derby rivals Sunderland

Aleksandar Mitrovic scored a late header to earn Newcastle United a 1-1 home draw with North East derby rivals Sunderland.

A win would take Sunderland clear of the relegation zone on goal difference, and for Newcastle it would have allowed them to at least swap places with their derby rivals.

Perhaps almost as important was the evident antipathy between Rafael Benitez and Sam Allardyce, and it was Allardyce who drew first blood when Jermain Defoe volleyed in towards the end of the half.

In the second half, Mitrovic scored a dramatic late header, rescuing a point for Newcastle and keeping Sunderland in the bottom three. Newcastle remain winless under Benitez, but have now ended a streak of four consecutive defeats.

Will this be the start of Newcastle's recovery? With a couple of minutes to go, Aleksandar Mitrovic was imploring Rafael Benitez to let him back on the pitch after he was knocked out cold a few moments earlier. It's typical of Mitrovic, but not of Newcastle in general, that he was desperate to help out the team and look for a win. If Benitez can get the rest of the players as committed as Mitrovic, they may stand a chance of survival.

Rob Elliot (Newcastle United): Vito Mannone was reliable in goal until he missed a cross that led to the equaliser, but Elliot managed to keep his side in the game when Sunderland were creating much better chances to extend their lead. It's to Sunderland's discredit that they couldn't finish off a wretched Newcastle, and to Elliot's credit that he kept them out long enough for Mitrovic to equalise.

Newcastle: Elliot 7, Janmaat 5, Colback 5, Lascelles 6, Mbemba 6, Shelvey 5, Wijnaldum 6, Sissoko 6, Townsend 6, Mitrovic 7, Perez 6. Subs: Anita 6, De Jong 6, Cisse 6.

Sunderland: Mannone 6, Yedlin 5, Van Aanholt 5, Kone 6, Kaboul 6, Kirchhoff 6, M'Vila 6, Rodwell 6, Khazri 6, Borini 6, Defoe 6. Subs: Cattermole 6, N'Doye 6, O'Shea 6.

19' - DEFOE SHOT - So close. Yedlin rolls in the ball for Rodwell on the right, behind the defence, and he pulls back the ball for Defoe's run to the near post. For a moment, it seems like his shot has crept in, and the crowd roars, but it hit the side netting.

20' - TOWNSEND SHOT - Townsend muscles his way through the middle of the pitch and fires in an effort from long range, and his swirling effort is beaten away by Mannone.

44' - GOAL! Newcastle 0-1 Sunderland. Defoe scores - Khazri pulls back the ball to Borini on the edge of the box. Elliot parries the shot in the air, it's headed out a way, but it comes to Defoe in the box, who smashes in a volley past a crowd.

48' - M'VILA SAVE - Townsend curls in corner on the right. Mannone misses the flight of the ball, it's sent back towards goal by Perez, but M'Vila is on hand to hack it away on the goalline.

58' - ELLIOT SAVE - Van Aanholt seizes on a loose ball in the box, and he absolutely leathers it towards goal with Elliot reacting brilliantly to palm it away.

83' - GOAL! Newcastle 1-1 Sunderland. Mitrovic scores - Winaldum is released on the right. He beats N'Doye, floats in a cross to the back post, and Mitrovic heads down and into the net.

Newcastle scored their first derby goal since Mathieu Debuchy - an Arsenal player for almost two full seasons - against Sunderland.