Newcastle United will take on old foes Sunderland in the 2025-26 Premier League season and will be looking to add some more big victories to the record books.
The Tyne-Wear derby is one of the oldest in English football, with the two North East giants first locking horns on Christmas Eve, 1898.
In the 126 years since, Newcastle United and Sunderland’s record against each other is remarkably even, with the Magpies winning 54 matches and their rivals 53.
However, when it comes to hanging out the most drubbings, Sunderland have Newcastle well beaten.
The Black Cats have the largest victory ever in the derby with a 9-1 trouncing at St. James’ Park in 1909, have more goals in the fixture, have won the most derbies consecutively and have won the game by more than three goals far more often.
That doesn’t mean Newcastle haven’t registered some big victories over the last century and beyond, though, and here are the biggest.
- Newcastle United key dates for 2025-26 season: Transfer window, Champions League & Premier League fixtures
Sunderland 0-3 Newcastle United – March 10 1909
The first time Newcastle beat Sunderland by three goals came in their 24th meeting, revenge for the 9-1 demolition they suffered just three months prior.
The victory came in an FA Cup replay after the initial game was drawn 2-2, with Albert Shepherd grabbing a brace and George Wilson scoring the other.
Newcastle United 6-1 Sunderland – October 9 1920
Though there was a 3-1 win and a 4-2 win in between, it was 11 years before Newcastle managed to win by three goals or more in the derby again, but it was worth the wait.
The Toon wiped the floor with Sunderland at a packed St. James’ in 1920, with Neil Harris and Andy Smailes both scoring two, as Ted Ward and the legend Stan Seymour also got on the score sheet.
Sunderland 1-6 Newcastle United – December 26 1955
The derby remained a closely contested affair over the next 25 years as both sides remained in Division One and Newcastle equalled their biggest win over Sunderland, but this time at Roker Park, in 1955.
Icon Jackie Milburn scored two of his record 11 goals against Sunderland in the triumph, while Bill Curry and Vic Keeble were at the double as well.
Newcastle United 6-2 Sunderland – December 22 1956
A year later, the Magpies knocked them for six again. This time it was Alex Tait who dominated the scoring as he netted a hat-trick, while Tom Casey, Reg Davies and Len White also got goals.
Newcastle United 3-0 Sunderland – November 8 1969
Both teams suffered relegation in the early 60s but were back in the top flight by 1966, and all the while the war continued, with neither side gaining the ascendancy.
Newcastle picked up a big 3-0 win in 1969, with Keith Dyson hoovering up two goals and Wyn Davies grabbing the other.
Sunderland would go down that season and the meetings would begin to dry up. Of the 157 matches between the two clubs, 107 came before 1970.
Sunderland 1-4 Newcastle United – April 17 2006
Newcastle and Sunderland began to dance past each other in the decades after 1970.
They occasionally met in cup competitions and would also come to blows in the league from time to time, usually when Newcastle joined them in Division Two.
They even competed in a Play-off semi-final in 1990, which Sunderland won before losing to Swindon Town in the final.
Eventually, both would make it to the Premier League, where battle lines were redrawn and fought over consistently in the 2000s.
Newcastle had become much stronger than their enemies in the 90s thanks to Kevin Keegan’s entertainers and finally began to get the better of the rivalry, winning five in a row between 2001-2006 and not losing in nine.
The biggest win in that run was the 4-1 drubbing at the Stadium of Light.
Sunderland took a first-half lead but three goals in six minutes at the hour mark from Michael Chopra, Alan Shearer (the last goal of his career) and Charles N’Zogbia turned things around. Albert Luque added a fourth late on.
Newcastle United 5-1 Sunderland – October 31 2010
Newcastle’s most memorable victory over Sunderland in the modern era by some distance came 15 years ago.
By this point, the derby had been played 15 times in the Premier League and Sunderland had won just three, with the 5-1 defeat being the most stinging of all.
There wasn’t even a lead to celebrate this time, as Newcastle went ahead after 26 minutes and didn’t relent. Kevin Nolan scored a famous hat-trick, while Shola Ameobi grabbed two of his seven goals against the Black Cats.
Darren Bent’s 90th-minute strike was a mere consolation.
Sunderland 0-3 Newcastle United – January 6 2024
Little did anyone know that the 5-1 would be the zenith of Newcastle’s dominance in the fixture. They won 1-0 in Sunderland the following season, but that remains their last Premier League win over them in 14 years.
Sunderland would go on to get revenge for all those Premier League defeats by winning the derby six times in a row (a record), three of them by a 3-0 scoreline, and going unbeaten in nine.
Their relegation and subsequent fall to League One from 2016 onwards means the fixture hasn’t taken place in the league for nearly a decade, but the sides came to blows once more in an FA Cup third-round tie in 2024.
With pressure and emotion high, Eddie Howe’s side ran out comfortable winners thanks to an own-goal and an Alexander Isak brace.
Now, Premier League hostilities will finally be renewed in 2025-26 and Newcastle will be aiming to add another big victory to this list.
Receive a digest of our best Newcastle content each week direct to your mailbox
