Former Sunderland defender John O’Shea couldn’t resist a playful jab at old rivals Newcastle United after the Black Cats sealed their long-awaited return to the Premier League with a 2-1 win over Sheffield United in the Championship play-off final at Wembley.
Taking to Instagram, O’Shea, a fan favourite during his time on Wearside, shared a celebratory graphic of Sunderland’s promotion-winning squad, emblazoned with the words “WE ARE PREMIER LEAGUE,” along with the Premier League crest. O’Shea also added the caption: “Easy 6 points against Newcastle again 😎😀”
The tongue-in-cheek remark immediately struck a chord with Sunderland supporters, many of whom fondly remember the club’s dominance pervious in Wear-Tyne derby history, with the post shared by users on social media Sunderland haven’t lost to Newcastle in their last nine league meetings, including the famous run of six straight victories between 2013 and 2015, a period during which O’Shea played a key role in defence. O’Shea, who joined Sunderland from Manchester United in 2011, made over 250 appearances for the club across seven seasons and was part of the side that regularly frustrated Newcastle in Premier League encounters.
While a top-flight derby hasn’t been contested since 2016, both sets of supporters now look ahead to next season’s clashes with a renewed sense of anticipation, though the landscape has now changed significantly with the Mapgies now the richest club in the world under Saudi ownership. The Tynesiders overcame the Black Cats in the FA Cup at the Stadium of Light easily last season, underlining the gap between the two rivals at the time.
What Régis Le Bris said about Sunderland’s stunning win
“It’s a fantastic scenario for us, again,” Le Bris said. “Like the semi-final, just absolutely fantastic. Tough for the coaches and fans probably but again we showed strong character. Even when we were not dominant, even when we have struggled as a squad, we stay connected and stick to our plan. Then later in the game, you feel that maybe can change the momentum. This was the case today.
