Absolutely pathetic - Sunderland 1-0 Newcastle

A disastrous result and pathetic performance as Newcastle United got everything wrong in a dismal derby day on Wearside.

We were second to every ball, slow and wasteful in possession, and lacking in urgency or any real plan to hurt Sunderland, with us toothless in the first half and never looking like scoring as we chased an equaliser in the second.

Nick Woltemade's own goal may have given the Mackems an early Christmas gift, but the home side wanted it more than us and actually imposed themselves on a game that we approached so negatively from the off.

Where was the intensity? Where was the fight? Where was our physicality that saw us dominate Everton on the road just a few weeks ago? Where was the quality? Why is this capable side so consistently inconsistent, delivering big wins one week and stinkers the next?

So many questions and not enough answers, with the post-match meltdown justified this time as we delivered such a limp and spineless display when the enormity of this match would've been made clear to all involved.

Howe got it wrong with his negative tactics and team selection (Elanga?) and his second half changes did little to swing the match, but his players also failed him, freezing on the big occasion, losing their battles and lacking quality all afternoon.

Neither side played well and there was barely a big chance created between us all match, but one team wanted it more and that was the difference.

Newcastle XI: Ramsdale; Livramento, Thiaw, Burn, Hall; Bruno Guimarães, Miley, Tonali; Elanga, Woltemade, Gordon.

Subs: Ruddy, Schar, Joelinton, Wissa, Barnes, J.Murphy, Willock, A.Murphy, Ramsey

Sunderland XI: Roefs; Mukiele, Ballard, Alderete, Reinildo; Sadki, Xhaka, Le Fée; Traore, Brobbey, Talbi.

Subs: Patterson, Geertruida, Hume, Neil, Rigg, Mayenda, Mundle, Isidor, Adingra.

The first half was cagey, tense and lacking in quality, as the two sides looked more fearful of conceding the first goal than imposing themselves on the opposition.

Early on, we looked a little anxious on the ball, were sitting too deep, giving away the ball as soon as we got it and failing to build any attacks, with Elanga and Gordon's starting positions limiting their ability to break in behind or support Woltemade.

Sunderland had almost 60% of the ball and were throwing it into the box from corners, throw-ins and open play, but they were struggling to break down our low block that was weakened physically as Burn went off after a heavy tackle from Mukiele.

Four shots, two yellows and plenty of fouls and physicality, with Sunderland's Brobbey lucky to stay on the pitch after he raked down Miley's ankle while already on a yellow card.

Hall was doing a solid job at left-back, Bruno was growing into the game and Miley was tidy enough, but we were far too passive as a team, hadn't even come close to testing Roefs following a lacklustre 45 minutes from Gordon, Woltemade and Elanga.

A big second 45 was needed and we got off to the worst possible start. A Mukiele cross whipped in and Woltemade put through his own net, getting it all wrong as he glanced past Ramsdale and in off the bar.

A huge response was needed to turn this one around, but we barely laid a glove on them. Bruno tried to drive us on and was the only Mag to test Roefs with two weak efforts from range, Wissa came close to glancing Murphy's deflected cross and that was about it.

It's like we turned up with the mentality of 'trying not to lose', then hadn't a clue how to get back into the match, impose ourselves, build patterns of play or create chances once we went a goal behind.

Our first moment of fight came in the 94th minute as Thiaw and Isidor were both booked after a coming together, which just about summed it up. Howe said after the match that our effort levels were there but our quality wasn't, yet it seemed clear to me (and every Mag watching) that we failed in both departments.

To make an abysmal afternoon even worse, Burn's rib injury looks worrying after he was taken to hospital in an ambulance, while Bruno's late yellow card leaves him a caution away from a one-game ban.

Next up, a big inquest and some harsh words before back to back home games against Fulham (cup quarter-final) and Chelsea (Premier League).