Injured Sunderland star loved by Wayne Rooney set to return vs Newcastle
After eight games, Sunderland are seven places and five points ahead of Newcastle United in the Premier League standings.
Once again for the Mackems: Saudi Arabia-backed Newcastle, who are in the Champions League and are well established in England’s top flight, are playing catch-up with newly-promoted Sunderland.
Regis Le Bris has worked wonders at the Stadium of Light since his arrival, and he and the Mackems fanbase will no doubt be brimming with confidence if the Wear-Tyne Derby were to take place this weekend.
Unfortunately, Sunderland versus Newcastle won’t take place until 14 December, when they play each other in the league for the first time since March 2016 at the Stadium of Light.
One good thing, though, is that there’s plenty of time between now and then for Sunderland’s long-term injury list to get cleared up.
Habib Diarra expected to return from injury for Wear-Tyne Derby
According to injury expert Ben Dinnery, Habib Diarra is set to return to action in time to play against Newcastle on 14 December.
Diarra is sidelined with a groin injury he sustained in training, and has missed Sunderland’s last four games, in which they’ve beaten Nottingham Forest and Wolves.
Before his setback, the summer signing from Strasbourg was earning huge praise.
Wayne Rooney dubbed Diarra a “huge threat” on Match of the Day when the 21-year-old starred in the 3-0 win over West Ham on the opening day of the Premier League season.
When confirming his injury, Le Bris admitted that Diarra was a “very important” player for his side.
| Game | Date | Status |
| Chelsea (A) | 25 October | Out |
| Everton (H) | 3 November | Out |
| Arsenal (H) | 8 November | Out |
| Fulham (A) | 22 November | Out |
| Bournemouth (H) | 29 November | Out |
| Liverpool (A) | 3 December | Doubt |
| Man City (A) | 6 December | Doubt |
Luckily, this update from Dinnery on his Premier Injuries website suggests that the Senegal international will be back in time for the biggest game of Sunderland’s season against Eddie Howe‘s Newcastle.
What is Sunderland’s recent record vs Newcastle?
Throughout history, the Wear-Tyne Derby has been one of the most tightly contested derbies in English football.
The all-time record sees Newcastle come out on top by just one win after 156 meetings in all competitions.
- Sunderland wins: 53
- Draws: 49
- Newcastle wins: 54
In more recent meetings, the Black Cats have come out on top against Newcastle, winning six of their last eight encounters in both the Premier League and the FA Cup.
Unfortunately, the last Wear-Tyne Derby resulted in Sunderland losing 3-0 to Newcastle in the FA Cup in January 2024.
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