It ended Newcastle 1 Sunderland 2.
Ahead of each game we ask one of our writers to come up with three positives and three negatives following the match.
An ‘interesting’ match at St James’ Park.
Plenty to talk about after this Premier League game.
United taking the lead in this derby match, only to lose the game due to two second half goals for the Mackems.
On this occasion it is David Punton:
POSITIVES
Anthony Gordon
There was another goal for Anthony Gordon, having scored now in each of the last three Premier League matches.
Gordon now on 17 goals for the season, in all competitions.
Narrow loss
It was a smash and grab at the death.
Still a defeat, but let’s face it, we’ve seen worse against this lot and we live to fight another day.
They can’t surely keep winning derbies forever.
Plea in mitigation
I hate making excuses.
The fact remains Sunderland didn’t have to slog it out with Barcelona in midweek.
They didn’t have almost their entire midfield engine in the treatment room.
They haven’t spent almost all of the season fighting on four fronts.
This season has burned Newcastle Utd out. Manager, players and club.
NEGATIVES
Derby heat
Emotions run high when these games take place.
They can define a manager’s future at either of the two clubs.
This time, again, it’s Eddie Howe under the spotlight. It may have been tight but the history books will still show he’s lost another derby.
A club that came up through the Championship play-offs to boot.
It had chilling echoes of Alan Pardew when he kept losing against this lot and that didn’t exactly endear him to the crowd.
Of course there was bound to be booing at the end but it shows just how concerned things have become under a manager who 12 months ago looked invincible.
He will fight on but is he going to make it?
It shows that a week can be a long time in football. The previous Saturday we got to cheer a rare and delightful win on the road at Chelsea.
Then all of a sudden the rug just gets pulled.
Eddie Howe won us some silverware, just in case you forgot, but questions are being asked, lots of them.
Maximum frustration
It was another game chalked up where a winning position was squandered.
This one links to the points above about the manager’s long-term future.
Under his tenure this season – and the players shoulder this too – a whopping 22 points have been lost from winning positions.
It’s a nightmare, because every time this team goes in front, you end up feeling more nervous.
They have got to address this game management issue and fast.
We went off a cliff in that second half on Sunday and it was, quite frankly, unacceptable.
A myriad of other issues
The game exposed wider concerns about last summer’s recruitment and players being played out of position in the current team.
We’ve got Gordon saying in the media that we are still better side than that lot down the road in the aftermath of losing.
Better to say nothing?
Sven Botman left the pitch with a fractured cheekbone – abysmal luck. That adds to the previous game on Wearside where they managed to give Dan Burn a punctured lung.
We don’t seem to have a striker who can come on and do the business.
Nick Woltemade – does he not need to be starting up front, where he was doing quite well early in the season?
Was it wise to start Trippier? Tino is a great prospect but he was found wanting defensively too.
Ramsdale or Pope? Jury out on both.
Joe Willock – was it not a better idea to start him?
All these issues swirl after a derby defeat. We will just have to soldier on from here. Perhaps the international break can bring some much-needed respite.
But be in no doubt – this was a bruising and damaging defeat in the storied history of Newcastle United.