Fabricio Coloccini’s foolish decision-making has left Newcastle United in the mire in this afternoon’s Wear-Tyne derby at the Stadium of Light, where Sunderland lead 1-0 at the break.
The Magpies had totally dominated the first half, but Coloccini’s blatant and unnecessary barge on Steven Fletcher gifted the hosts a 45th-minute penalty which Adam Johnson confidently converted.
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Steve McClaren’s side have lost their last five meetings with their local rivals, and Sunderland-born winger Johnson has been on the scoresheet for the Black Cats in three of those triumphs.
Coloccini’s recklessness has left 10-man Newcastle facing another disastrous derby day, on which defeat would see Sunderland go level with them on six points near the foot of the Premier League table.
Victory for Sunderland would be their first under new manager Sam Allardyce, whose predecessors Gus Poyet and Paolo Di Canio also began their reigns by beating the Magpies in their second match in charge.
Half-time: Sunderland 1-0 Newcastle
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