Seventh-placed Sunderland are having fun with an excellent return to the highest flight following promotion through the play-offs final season.

The Black Cats have 26 factors in 16 video games, their most at this stage of a Premier League marketing campaign since 2000-01 (additionally 26), after they went on to complete seventh.

They’re but to lose within the league on the Stadium Mild, which had an electrical environment for many of Sunday afternoon.

“Derbies, you must win, it doesn’t matter how,” stated captain Granit Xhaka to Sky Sports activities.

“This crew deserves far more – and extra respect as the place we’re within the league is superb and we’re working actually arduous.”

Sunderland are additionally unbeaten of their final 10 league video games towards Newcastle (seven wins and three attracts), their longest such run towards the Magpies.

Newcastle’s final league win over Sunderland was again in August 2011.

Le Bris advised Sky Sports activities he was “proud and blissful” with the end result.

“It was a derby and we had been anticipated [to win] by our followers,” he added. “This win is effectively deserved, we had been mature and the lads had been unimaginable.

“It is good for the area, the membership, the followers. We knew earlier than it was a particular sport, however we’ve to reset shortly as we’ve one other powerful problem in Brighton in a single week so let’s go once more.”