It’s great to have the Tyne-Wear Derby back in the top flight. Sunderland are back up in the Premier League, and that means we’ll have a very spirited affair when the Black Cats visit Newcastle United on Sunday. Ahead of this acrimonious rivalry match-up, Eddie Howe met the media and provided four injury updates today: Sandro Tonali (groin/hip/pelvic area), Lewis Miley (thigh), Fabian Schar (ankle) and Bruno Guimaraes (thigh).
“We anticipate Lewis (Miley) will be back after the break,” Howe said earlier on Friday. “Same with Bruno (Guimaraes) and Fab (Schar).”
Tyne-Wear Derby FYIs
Kickoff: Sun Mar 22, St. James Park, Newcastle, UK
Premier League Standing: Newcastle 9th, 42 pts Sunderland 13th, 40 pts
Google Result Probability: Newcastle 58% Draw 24% Sunderland 18%
So there you have it- Miley, Guimaraes and Schar are ruled out for Sunday, but should be back for the league fixture on April 12 at Crystal Palace. The long layoff there is due to Newcastle’s having already been eliminted from the FA Cup.
Tyne-Wear Derby Team News
As for Tonali, Howe provided an update on him as well: “We will wait and see on Sandro. It is maybe not as bad as first feared. We will see how he is today and make a decision closer to the game.” And of course Emil Krafth remains out for the season. Shifting gears to Sunderland, manager Regis Le Bris provided updates on his team:
“Jocelin, Nilson, Bertrand and Romaine will definitely be out,” he said on Friday. “For the others, we will have a late assessment.”
As for Dan Ballard, Robin Roefs, Enzo Le Fée and Nordi Mukiele, all four face late fitness tests, in order to feature here.
Le Bris added: “They are working hard behind the scenes to be ready for the game. We have to make medical decisions because we still have a lot of games to play after this one, as well as an international break.”
Meanwhile there is better news with Reinildo, as he’s available for selection.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, RG.org and Ratings.org. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes and the Washington Post.