Sunderland Player Ratings After the 1-0 Win Over Newcastle

Sunderland secured three points in the Tyne & Wear derby with a narrow victory over Newcastle United. Regis Le Bris's side continue to cause upsets in the Premier League.

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A historic match returned to the Premier League, seeing Sunderland promoted to compete with the best teams in England. The moment arrived to play the Tyne & Wear derby, which returned after several years.

With a 1-0 victory for Sunderland, the derby returned in a match full of intensity, with positive phases for both teams. The match was decided by an unfortunate action from the Newcastle forward Nick Woltemade, which put the result in favor of the team led by Regis Le Bris.

Despite Newcastle pushing in the second half to look for the equalizer, Black Cats held their defensive structure and managed to maintain the 1-0 scoreline, earning three important points to continue competing in the Premier League.

Player Ratings in Sunderland Victory in the Tyne & Wear Derby

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Sunderland (4-2-3-1)

Robin Roefs 7.0

Nordi Mukiele 6.9

Daniel Ballard 7.5

Omar Alderete 6.9

Reinildo Mandava 7.3

Noah Sadiki 7.0

Granit Xhaka 7.3

Bertrand Traore 6.5

Enzo Le Fee 6.4

Chemsdine Talbi 6.7

Brian Brobbey 6.7

Newcastle United (4-3-3)

Aaron Ramsdale 6.7

Valentino Livramento 6.0

Malick Thiaw 7.9

Dan Burn 7.0

Lewis Hall 7.1

Bruno Guimaraes 7.2

Sandro Tonali 6.9

Lewis Miley 6.5

Anthony Elanga 6.1

Nick Woltemade 5.4

Aaron Gordon 6.6

The main focus of the match was both defensive lines, reflecting the current approach of Regis Le Bris. According to SofaScore statistics, the highest rated player of the match was Malick Thiaw, although his impact did not change the final result.

Sunderland had notable performances from Daniel Ballard and Omar Alderete, with several interceptions and recoveries during the derby. This showed how Black Cats are able to sustain results.

THIS IS WEARSIDE. WE ARE SUNDERLAND.#SUNNEW pic.twitter.com/ORBsA3bUxC

— Sunderland AFC (@SunderlandAFC) December 14, 2025

Captain Granit Xhaka continued to manage play in midfield and organize the team. Although Sunderland's goal came from a deflected header by Nick Woltemade, the match development showed important moments for the team led by Regis Le Bris in the attacking phase, especially in the first half.

At the start of the second half, with the advantage on the scoreboard from minute 46, Sunderland focused more on the defensive area and reduced attacking actions toward the end of the match, resulting in a positive performance.

Sunderland form continues to draw attention in the Premier League, and with this victory, the team sits in seventh place in the English competition. This allows them to move closer to the positions that qualify for European competitions during the season.