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Newcastle and Sunderland race to be top team in North East - Northern Exposure

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I know the game is two months away, but let’s face it, bar Newcastle’s Europa League run, there’s not much to get excited about round these parts.

But with the January transfer business done, and players returning from injury, you start to wonder what the two teams will look like for the Tyne-Wear derby at St James’s Park on April 13.

A fortnight ago, Sunderland, for the first time in a couple of seasons, were starting to run away with the race to be North East top dogs.

Contrasting fortunes: Newcastle have bounced back in recent weeks but Sunderland have suffered a slump

    More from Colin Young...   Northern Exposure: Sunderland are still a club in transition with Paolo Di Canio ready to instill radical changes 15/05/13   Pardew denies Newcastle rift as Di Canio calls for 'nice' Sunderland to develop an edge... but both are at risk of relegation 03/05/13   Northern Exposure: How long can Di Canio's Sunderland honeymoon last? 23/04/13   NORTHERN EXPOSURE: Paolo and Pardew ride the North-East rollercoaster... but is one of them heading for oblivion? 17/04/13   Northern Exposure: It's nearly time for the Tyne-Wear derby but who are the 22 players that Pardew and Di Canio should select? 10/04/13   Northern Exposure: Sunderland can't sweep this furore under the carpet, it would never have happened under Quinn's watch 03/04/13   Northern Exposure: Newcastle are flying in Europe but the main talking point is Pardew's beard! 14/03/13   Northern Exposure: The Toon Army are set for another long Europa League trip this week... but so are their opposition 05/03/13   Northern Exposure: Boro's form went down with the Christmas decorations leaving promotion hopes hanging by a thread 27/02/13   VIEW FULL ARCHIVE  

Martin O’Neill’s perseverance with his more talented players had started to pay off, and the team were at last finding that Steven Fletcher did not have exclusive rights to goalscoring duties.

Adam Johnson was starting to look like a £10million England winger, Stephane Sessegnon was starting to influence games again and Simon Mignolet, was justifying his selection as the region’s football scribes’ North East player of the year.

What a difference an FA Cup defeat makes. 

Just as it did last season, Sunderland’s cup exit seemed to suck the life out of the club for a spell and the manager and, even two weeks on, there is simply no excuse for Sunderland crashing to a home FA Cup defeat to Bolton Wanderers. And in the 40th anniversary year too.

And so, they travelled to Reading on Saturday, starting appallingly yet again, conceded late at a set piece yet again, and Newcastle have now cut the gap to two points.

O'Neill's most significant piece of business was the signing of Danny Graham, or Agent Graham as some Newcastle fans have started to call him.

The reaction of the travelling supporters to the boyhood Newcastle fan at the Madjeski Stadium shows what they've made of all this nonsense.

And the striker was denied a goalscoring start to life as an adopted Mackem by Reading keeper Adam Federici to drive that point home.

Of course for a small minority only a derby winner will be good enough. And even then ...

It will be interesting to see whether Graham has a starting place by then.

O'Neill has barely used Connor Wickham as a partner for Steven Fletcher but hasn't spent £5m to leave Graham on the bench. He seems to have more trust in the former Swansea striker, and the threat he brings as a predatory goalscorer.

New boy: Danny Graham (centre) missed a chance to mark his Sunderland debut with a goal

Which means O'Neill and Sunderland need a consistent run of form from his midfielders, particularly Sessegnon, Johnson and McClean who have been blowing colder than hot this season.

Alfred N'Diaye was the midfield January addition. Unlike Newcastle's French additions, he was picked up from the Turkish league, which might not even be at La Ligue level, never mind the Premier League. He looks raw. It's not a position where that is a virtue. Sunderland need Lee Cattermole fit, and for the rest of the season.

The incredible impact made by Moussa Sissoko has certainly given Newcastle a much-needed lift. Their own defeat to Reading, at home, now a distant memory.

Instant impact: Moussa Sissoko (centre) scored on his St James' Park debut against Chelsea

Alan Pardew talked about the need of the likes of Yohan Cabaye and Steven Taylor to 'hit the ground running' on their returns from injury and both were excellent in the win over Chelsea.

But it is the £15m spree on the French five which was intended to inject new life into Newcastle and that has certainly worked in the first couple of weeks.

Sissoko and the lively Yoan Gouffran from Bordeaux both caught the eye against the European champions on Saturday. The key of course is to maintain that.

With Hatem Ben Arfa back in training, and Cheick Tiote on his way back from Africa sooner than anticipated, Pardew will shortly have the selection problems manager dream of. Problems he hasn't realistically had all season.

Returning: Cheick Tiote (left) and Hatem Ben Arfa will soon be available to Newcastle boss Alan Pardew

How do you accommodate all of them? Jonas Gutierrez’s goal must have given him a much-needed, and deserved boost. Vurnon Anita lost his place just as he found form.

There are still concerns of course. If anything happens to Papiss Cisse's fitness or form, there is not much back-up. But there were signs last week that he, like Newcastle, is rediscovering his confidence.

So Newcastle look in better health than Sunderland after the closure of the winter window. Dare I say it, but that gives them the edge for derby day.

Only two months to go to find out.

  More... Pardew determined to keep Taylor in top condition after return from injury Reading 2 Sunderland 1: Late header from Kebe maintains Royals' resurgence All the latest Newcastle news, features and opinion All the latest Sunderland news, features and opinion







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