The ultimate Newcastle and Sunderland XI... who makes the cut ahead of derby day? One team only has three players worth picking
By COLIN YOUNG
GOALKEEPER
Simon Mignolet (Sunderland)
Edges Tim Krul on his performances this season. The North East Football Writers’ player of last year is the best goalkeeper in the Barclays Premier League at the moment and the PFA team of the season should reflect that.
Stat Attack: Mignolet has kept nine clean sheets in the league this season; only Begovic, Reina (both 10), Cech (11) and Hart (14) have more. Only Jussi Jaaskelainen (134) has made more saves than Mignolet’s 120.
Top stopper: Simon Mignolet has been superb as the last line of defence for Sunderland this season
FULLBACKS
Left: Danny Rose (Sunderland)
Sunderland’s outfield player of the season by a mile - but he’s on loan from Tottenham. Sunderland fans would love to sign him permanently but the reality is he could get in the Spurs side and they will surely want to keep him after what he's shown at the Stadium of Light.
Stat Attack: Rose has won 92% of the tackles he has attempted this season (44 of 48).
Right: Mathieu Debuchy (Newcastle)
The France international has settled effortlessly into the Newcastle back four and is a quality signing. Confident going forward and there’s the added bonus that he’s a right-back who can defend. Coming back from injury.
Stat Attack: Debuchy has made eight clearances a game since his Premier League debut in January.
Wide boys: Danny Rose (left) and Mathieu Debuchy have been playing well despite their sides' failures
CENTRE-BACKS
Fabricio Coloccini (Newcastle United)
Not had a great season but he is still one of the best around when he’s on his game. Coming back from a serious back injury but his leadership qualities make up for any missing match sharpness.
Stat Attack: Coloccini has been on the losing side against Sunderland just once in seven games (W2 D4 L1) in the Premier League.
Recovery: Fabricio Coloccini is returning after a back injury
Steven Taylor (Newcastle United)
Sunderland fans will love me for this, but their nemesis deserved his England call-up and his place in this team. John O’Shea is the pick of the Sunderland centre-backs, and he would love to play alongside Coloccini, but that lack of a colossus centre-half has hindered their whole defence.
Stat Attack: Taylor has the best passing accuracy of any Newcastle player this season who has played more than 500 minutes (90 per cent).
On the ball: Steven Taylor has an impressive 90 per cent passing accuracy
CENTRAL MIDFIELDERS
Yohan Cabaye (Newcastle United)
It’s a privilege to watch Cabaye at times. When the French international is in control of the midfield, spraying passes, harrying and winning tackles, there are few better in the country - but injuries have taken their toll this season. He is a match-winner and has a mean free kick on him to boot.
Stat Attack: Newcastle’s win percentage with Cabaye in the team this season is 40 per cent (8 of 20). Without him, it drops to 17 per cent (2 of 12).
Cheick Tiote (Newcastle United)
Not sure what’s gone wrong this season but even with his rash tackles, inconsistent passing and injuries, Tiote's the best in his position, and that includes a fully fit Lee Cattermole. When he bosses games, Newcastle can play.
Stat Attack: Tiote is yet to lose to Sunderland in the Premier League. He has played in two wins and two draws in the derby since arriving in England. (But he’s a wildcard — since arriving in the Premier League, Tiote has been shown 31 yellow cards; seven more than any other player.)
Toon engine: Colin Young would pick Yohan Cabaye and Cheick Tiote to be his central segment
WINGERS
Right: Hatem Ben Arfa (Newcastle United)
A genius with the ball and, under Alan Pardew’s guidance, has embraced the team work ethic. He’s a menace to the opposition because he usually makes the right decision about when to turn on the style - and he can do it any time, any place.
Stat Attack: After playing a hand in 10 Newcastle goals last season, Ben Arfa has only been involved in five goals for the Magpies so far this season (three scored, two assists).
Magician: Hatem Ben Arfa (right) has a wand of a left foot and is continually improving
Left: Stephane Sessegnon (Sunderland)
Adam Johnson should of course be first choice here but he simply hasn’t performed this season. Sessegnon has been frustratingly inconsistent, yet never loses that delightful ability to create an opening from nothing. He just hasn’t delivered enough.
Stat Attack: Since joining Sunderland, Sessegnon has been involved in 29 goals (15 scored, 14 assisted) in the Premier League; 16 more than any other Sunderland player in that time (Bendtner 13, Fletcher 12).
Inconsistent: Stephane Sessegnon has not been at his best all season but still has match-winning capabilities
ATTACKING MIDFIELDER
Moussa Sissoko (Newcastle United)
He is another January signing who has made a real impact for Newcastle. Settled down after an explosive start, the imposing midfielder showed again last night his ability to turn defence into attack in an instant. He scores goals and he creates them and promises to be a real star next season.
Stat Attack: Sissoko scored three goals in his first five games but none in nine since then.
Impact: Moussa Sissoko has been good since his arrival in the January transfer window
STRIKER
Papiss Cisse (Newcastle United)
If he was fit, yes I’d pick Steven Fletcher. Under difficult circumstances, he has been superb and scored goals which have given Sunderland a chance of staying up, despite having few chances. Cisse is still a handful at his best and a goalscorer. He certainly can’t complain about the service, he’s just wasted too much of it.
Stat Attack: Cisse has scored in each of his last three Premier League matches at St James Park; with two of the three goals coming in the 90th minute.
Not quite: Papiss Cisse has been too wasteful in front of goal this season
MANAGER
Alan Pardew (Newcastle United)
No competition. Been here, seen it, done it. This is a big week for the Newcastle manager. Thanks to an outstanding recruitment policy, Pardew is building a good team and while it has been a trying season, Newcastle are on the brink of the Europa League semi-finals, albeit the hard way.
A derby victory which would virtually guarantee Barclays Premier League survival.
Oh and it could also put Sunderland right in the mire and the bottom three. No pressure then.
The presence in the other technical area of the rookie Paolo Di Canio, who played under Pardew at Charlton Athletic, gives the Newcastle manager an advantage.
The presence in the other technical area of the rookie Paolo Di Canio, who played under Pardew at Charlton Athletic, gives the Newcastle manager an advantage.
No question: Alan Pardew would be the manager for this composite XI
Whether they all like it or not, the behaviour of both benches will come under scrutiny this weekend. And it will be interesting to see how Di Canio conducts himself. He is not known for holding back and you get the feeling he’d get carried away with a game of FIFA 13 with his kids, never mind an absent-minded salute or two in the Rome derby.
He will be in front of 50,000 Geordies, some in close, whispering-distance proximity. And they might not take kindly to the antics. In fact, his presence.
Let’s wish fourth official Anthony Taylor all the best and hope he has a quiet afternoon.
Temper temper: Paolo Di Canio will be hot under the collar, especially with 50,000 Geordies on the wind-up
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