Gabby Agbonlahor lauds ‘key player’ for Sunderland as ‘big upset’ mooted vs Newcastle
Sunderland have enjoyed an emphatic start to life in the Premier League, but Newcastle United will be the real test.
Newcastle and Sunderland play out one of the richest rivalries in football, with a history that goes beyond the sphere.
Sven Botman has previously expressed his fear of Brian Brobbey, which could be an intriguing battle if the pair meet.
Now, Gabby Agbonlahor has hailed a particular Black Cats star who could help them bag a victory over the Magpies.
Gabby Agbonlahor highlights importance of Granit Xhaka for Sunderland
Xhaka is already outperforming Bruno Guimaraes and Sandro Tonali in terms of passes completed in the final third.
Indeed, in a short space of time, he has already demonstrated his importance for the Wearsiders after a summer switch from Bayer Leverkusen.
As expected, Regis Le Bris named Xhaka as his captain ahead of the campaign, replacing academy product Dan Neil.
Looking ahead to the Tyne-Wear derby, the former Arsenal man is sure to play a key role and will be striving to land them a win over Eddie Howe’s side.
“I think Xhaka will be a really key player for them this season. They made him captain as well, brings that captain material to the football club,” Agbonlahor said while hosting talkSPORT on 12 September (08:09am).
“And don’t be surprised if they make some big upsets, and even when they play Newcastle, especially at home, that isn’t going to be a guaranteed win for Newcastle.”
Read more: Regis Le Bris will be delighted with what Granit Xhaka’s done away from Sunderland
What is Granit Xhaka’s record vs Newcastle United?
Xhaka has faced the Magpies 11 times during his career, and all of them were during his time at Arsenal.
Indeed, Sunderland supporters will be thrilled as the Switzerland captain’s record against the Tyneside club.
- Won: 8
- Drew: 1
- Lost: 2
Moreover, the midfielder bagged the opening goal against Newcastle in a 2-1 win at St James’ Park in 2018.
Eddie Howe’s men were triumphant the last time the two clubs met, although Sunderland were languishing under Michael Beale.
Before that, the Black Cats were unbeaten in nine, including the infamous six wins in a row.
With the Wearsiders set to face Howe’s side on 13 December, Xhaka could be a key ingredient for Le Bris.
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