Sports
REPORT – Sunderland AFC 5-0 Morecambe: The Black Cats move up to third after emphatic win

Sunderland climb to third in League One after demolishing relegation threatened Morecambe 5-0 at the Stadium of Light on Tuesday evening.
REPORT
Nathan Broadhead scored twice as Ross Steward, Alex Pritchard and Leon Dajaku were also on the scoresheet to help Johnson’s side to a comfortable victory, making it five league games unbeaten.
The Black Cats burst out of the blocks to score twice inside the opening 20 minutes, with wing-back Lynden Gooch claiming the assist on each occasion.
Gooch dribbled passed Morecambe full-back Ryan McLaughlin to deliver a decent cross from the left, as Stewart’s first-time shot beat the goalkeeper to make it 1-0.
Four minutes later, Gooch delivered another teasing cross which fell to the feet of Nathan Broadhead as the striker scored his first of the night. The Everton loanee gave himself space in the box and headed home from close range.
The home side missed a guilt-edged opportunity to make it three before the break as top scorer Ross Stewart prodded wide from his first-time shot.
In the closing stages of the first period, Morecambe were almost given a lifeline. Midfielder Aaron Wildig found himself unmarked as he diverted Alfie McCalmont’s cross wide after a rushed effort on goal.
Substitute Toumani Diagouraga went close for Morecambe in the opening stages of the second half but Sunderland put the game to bed with a third goal shortly before the hour mark – an impressive win to give the Wearsiders momentum heading into the condensed Christmas period.
Johnson’s side refused to sit back despite a comfortable lead.

Credit: @sunderlandafcofficial instagram
Alex Pritchard sweetly swept home from Dan Neil’s cutback as the hosts made it three. Nathan Broadhead netted his second twelve minutes later as his driven shot flew passed Letheran in the Morecambe net.
Nobody has more assists under their name in League One than Sunderland Midfielder Neil who was heavily involved yet again on Tuesday evening.
Sunderland added a fifth with three minutes remaining as Dajaku’s shot took a hefty deflection before finding the back of the net, putting the icing on the cake for the Black Cats.
Academy graduate Kimpioka helped engineer the fifth, before Dajaku’s deflected strike hit the back of the net.
It was their joint-biggest win of the season as Johnson’s side continue to climb the table in their hunt for promotion to the Championship.
The victory sees the Black Cats move within two points of Rotherham in top spot, with 6th placed Plymouth Argyle up next at the Stadium of Light on Saturday for a play-off place battle.
Table Toppers Rotherham face tenth placed Burton on Saturday knowing that anything less than a win may see them move from first position, with Sunderland breathing down their necks.
The performance combined with the emphatic result kept the Sunderland faithful warm in otherwise brutal winter conditions as yet another storm hit the region.
The only storm at the Stadium of Light was from the side in red and white who demolished the Shrimps to climb within two places of top spot in League One.
SO, WHAT NEXT?
The win represents more than just three points for Sunderland who have found some much-needed momentum heading into the crucial festive period.
The result gives supporters hope that the club is on the right track once again with the real possibility of promotion come the end of the season.
Lee Johnson saw what his side have been missing in previous weeks as it all seemed to come together on the night.
Sunderland were clinical in front of goal, kept possession well, played with an increased tempo, and pressed Morecambe off the ball until it was back in their hands.
The Black Cats can’t be expected to play with that level of intensity in every game but at the Stadium of Light, Tuesday’s performance should be the benchmark as in previous years the Wearsiders have drawn far too many games on home soil.
PLAYER RATINGS
Hoffmann (7), Wright (7), Flanagan (7), Doyle (7); Neil (8), Winchester (7), Dajaku (8), Gooch (9), Pritchard (9), Broadhead (8), Stewart (8)
Subs: Embleton (6), O’Brien (6), Mbunga-Kimpioka (7)
MANAGERS COMMENTS
Sunderland manager Lee Johnson:
“It was a tough game going into it, the pressure was on and we performed extremely well. They gave us a couple of warning signs in that first half, but we felt like we could exploit their backline with the quality we’ve got. They have got good forward players and a lot of energy in midfield, so they can cause you problems.
“We knew they’d penetrate at some point during the game, but generally I felt we had good control. Right from the start, you could feel the vibe. It was really positive from the start. We started well and it carried on from there.”
He added:
“It was such a cold night and obviously a few less fans than normal because of the weather. I’m really pleased for the fans that turned up, we gave them a five-star show.”
Morecambe Manager Stephen Robinson:
“We’ve a mountain to climb before the game has even started. We then passed the ball about, we looked pretty, we had chances, Jonah [Ayunga] has got to score, Aaron [Wildig] should score and we’ve a goal disallowed.
“Ultimately, if you’re going to defend like that at a stadium like this with good, good Championship players in the squad, then you’re going to get punished, and we got exactly what we deserved.”
He added:
“It could’ve been two all if we had taken our chances, I think that’s the difference in the levels in terms of the quality they have at the top end of the pitch, they get chances, they take them, we get chances, we don’t.”
Post-match thoughts? Who was your man-of-the-match? Can Sunderland reach top spot by Christmas? Will the Black Cats gain promotion to the Championship come May?
Join in the conversation and have your say…
Featured
Newcastle United Fans Attacked in Paris by PSG fans – Trapped in pub!

Footage tonight has emerged of PSG fans corning Newcastle United fans in a pub and attacking them in a scary video. This follows news that police had informed Newcastle fans that attacks were possible which lead to at least one pub having to close at 10pm due to this.
We don’t have any details on what happened after the video and this is a breaking news story, follow us on social media to stay fully up to date.
You can see the video here:
YouTube – North East Updates (follow channel for more – won’t open video unless you have an account and over 18) – https://youtube.com/shorts/Uo_2G1WEuWg
X (formally Twitter) https://x.com/SupportersNufc/status/1729269902056493085?s=20
Newcastle fans who would you like to see be brought in or who is most realistic – follow for all Newcastle United news – Newcastle Supporters Worldwide
There will be videos added tomorrow both before and after the PGS game on the North East Updates Youtube channel – follow the channel to stay fully up to date and see below for previous NUFC vs PSG videos…
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PSG Fans arrive at Newcastle Upon Tyne and are met by Newcastle United fans ahead of their Champions League tie (which ended in a 4-1 Newcastle United win). Newcastle Centre was on shut down with streets closed and everyone watching.
The footage is not live and IN FULL on our Youtube Channel you can see the footage below – let us know on the comments on the video what your thoughts are on it….
We rather foolishly spoke to both NUFC and PSG fans after the game – we had to stop filming the interviewing of the PSG fans due to safety concerns see both videos below…
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We are supporting the Warm Christmas meal appeal – you can donate a warm Christmas meal to someone in need in Newcastle and the North East below..
Warm Christmas Meal Appeal North East – Help a Local Person in Need – NEoffers.co.uk
News
The Players Newcastle United could/should sign from Saudi

Newcastle United has received a green light to pursue players from the Saudi Pro League after a proposed Premier League vote to restrict loan moves between clubs with shared owners fell short of the required support. This decision opens up possibilities for Newcastle to strengthen their squad in January, targeting talents from clubs linked with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund. Despite initial discussions to potentially bar such transfers, the recent vote outcome has cleared the way for Newcastle to explore signings.
See our video and reaction below and follow our YouTube for more local videos..
A recent meeting among the Premier League’s 20 clubs concluded without the necessary majority support to impose a ban on loan transfers between co-owned clubs. While 13 teams voted in favor of the prohibition, the requirement of 14 votes for approval was not met, granting Newcastle the liberty to pursue players from the Saudi Pro League.
This development particularly benefits Newcastle’s pursuit of Al Hilal midfielder Ruben Neves, whom they’ve eyed as a potential replacement for Sandro Tonali. Neves, despite significant interest from the Premier League, is expected to remain with Al Hilal during the upcoming January transfer window. The Athletic’s David Ornstein reports that despite ongoing speculation, Neves is content and settled at Al Hilal, playing a pivotal role within the team. His projected stay until the season’s end indicates his commitment to Al Hilal’s cause, especially crucial following Neymar’s injury.
Although ties between Newcastle and Al Hilal, sharing the same majority shareholder in Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), sparked concerns about potential rule changes, as of now, no alterations have been enforced. Speculation regarding a Premier League vote to block such moves in the winter market hasn’t materialized into action. Consequently, Neves looks set to continue his journey with Al Hilal, with no reported negotiations or approaches from interested parties.
Al Hilal’s impressive position atop the Saudi Pro League standings, coupled with their progress in tournaments like the AFC Champions League and the King’s Cup, further solidifies Neves’ integral role within the team. Their dominance, evident in their substantial lead over second-place Al Nassr, underscores their strength even with the latter boasting talents like Cristiano Ronaldo.
Ultimately, Newcastle’s access to the Saudi Pro League remains unimpeded, potentially paving the way for significant acquisitions in the upcoming transfer window.
Al-Hilal
- Ruben Neves
- Sergej Milinkovic-Savic
- Aleksandr Mitrovic
Al-Nassr
- Seko Fofana
- Marcelo Brozovic
- Aymeric Laporte
Al-Ittihad
- N’Golo Kante
- Fabinho
- Jota
Al-Ahly
- Franck Kessie
- Gabri Veiga
- Riyad Mahrez
Newcastle fans who would you like to see be brought in or who is most realistic – follow for all Newcastle United news – Newcastle Supporters Worldwide
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News
Everton Get Record 10 Point Deduction!

Everton faced a significant setback as they incurred a 10-point deduction due to a breach of profit and sustainability regulations, marking the most substantial penalty in Premier League history. This plunge pushed Sean Dyche’s squad into the relegation zone, casting a shadow over their prior 14th position in the league, where they were holding an eight-point buffer from the bottom three.
This unprecedented deduction echoes only two prior instances in Premier League history. Middlesbrough faced a three-point penalty for failing to fulfill a fixture against Blackburn in 1996/97, while Portsmouth was stripped of nine points after entering administration in March 2010. Everton’s situation was referred to an Independent Commission by the Premier League in March over potential violations of profit and sustainability rules.
Amidst this, Everton voiced their intention to vigorously defend and strongly contest the charges before a hearing held last month. The specifics of the alleged breach have not been officially disclosed. However, insights from Sky Sports News suggest that the charges are linked to interest payments concerning the construction expenses for the club’s new stadium at Bramley Moore Dock.
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