Eddie Howe says revitalised derby rivals will be a tougher mental test for his side than the Champions League
Midnight was fast approaching when Eddie Howe faced a curve-ball question: if he could be offered a draw at the Stadium of Light on Sunday would he accept it?
If the typically straight-bat answer – “no chance, we prepare to win every game” – was expected, Howe’s subsequent reaction spoke volumes about Sunderland’s recent metamorphosis.
Newcastle’s manager was standing on a concrete concourse at the BayArena, where his team were hugely frustrated to have been held 2-2 by Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League on Wednesday, but his focus had switched to a potentially bigger challenge on Wearside.
“It’s probably the most intense derby game there is,” said Howe, whose side sit 12th, one point and three places beneath promoted Sunderland. “The north-east’s absolutely obsessed by this game. It’s an intense rivalry. It’s a game where my players can write their names in the history books and it’s also my first time going up against Régis Le Bris. I’ve been impressed by how his team have played this season.”
