Sunderland fans will absolutely love what Granit Xhaka said about Newcastle
Granit Xhaka’s reputation at Sunderland is growing day by day.
Ever since he came through the door, Xhaka has been incredible for Sunderland, both on and off the pitch in the Premier League.
His ability with the ball at his feet is up there with the best the Black Cats have ever had, while his experience and leadership skills are already proving crucial to their chances of survival.
At this stage, the only thing that can get even better is his relationship with the fans, and even that will have received a boost after what he said about their noisy neighbours.
Granit Xhaka is already relishing the Tyne-Wear Derby
Argue amongst yourselves; the Tyne-Wear Derby is the best rivalry in English football, and it isn’t even close.
That rivalry will be renewed in December, when Sunderland host Newcastle United at the Stadium of Light in the Premier League for the first time since 2015, when the Black Cats secured a 3-0 win.
In fact, it was the very first game that fans of both North East outfits highlighted when the Premier League fixtures were released.
Of course, Xhaka was not a Sunderland player at the time, but now, wearing the famous red and white stripes, the 33-year-old has said something about the derby that fans will love.
Via Sky Sports’ YouTube channel, Xhaka was asked which game he was looking forward to the most, and his answer does not need explaining.
He said: “This one is not so complicated, for sure Newcastle first.
“I know what it means for Sunderland and the fans of the football club to have this derby, and I’ve had many derbies in my career.
“But I’ve heard this one could be the craziest one I’ve had in my career, and I want to be there on the pitch, and to feel it and just enjoy the moment.”
How has Granit Xhaka fared against Newcastle?
Xhaka had a long stint with Arsenal before his move to Bayer Leverkusen.
Throughout his time with the Gunners, he faced off against the black and whites on 11 occasions, and he won eight of those games.
- 10 Premier League encounters
- One FA Cup clash
- Eight wins
- One draw
- Three losses
- One goal
The 33-year-old scored in a 2-1 win against the Geordies back in the 20-18-19 season, which is his only goal contribution in the games he has played.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Xhaka has picked up six yellow cards in the meetings he had when at Arsenal, and it would be a fair assumption to make that he would receive one this time around, given the atmosphere expected on the day.
After an eight-year absence from the Premier League, Sunderland will be looking to get one over on the Magpies, and Xhaka could hold the key to it.
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