Derby is low key for Ross
AMBITIOUS: Ross IT’S the Tyne-Wear derby tonight – but not as we know it.
Sunderland and Newcastle meet for the first time since March
2016 in tonight’s Checkatrade Trophy third-round clash at the Stadium of Light.
Yet it will be completely different to the previous
156 meetings between the bitter rivals.
Back-to-back relegations mean Sunderland are playing in a competition made up of lower division teams and the Under-21 sides of Premier League and Championship sides.
So while the Black Cats will have a familiar look, few, if any, Newcastle players with first-team experience will play.
That hasn’t stopped 2,800 Toon fans buying tickets.
They could probably have sold three times that figure but their allocation was restricted.
Sunderland have pulled in more than 80,000 fans for their last two League One fixtures but only around
16,000 are expected to attend tonight’s game.
Drive
That’s despite their side being overwhelming favourites to beat what will be a bunch of kids.
Black Cats boss Jack Ross admits the clash is far from ideal for his promotion-chasing side, who meet second-placed Luton at home this Saturday.
“I suppose it’s a very unusual set of circumstances which are far from ideal because we are involved as a first team,” said Ross, who is unlikely to start out-of-contract top scorer Josh Maja.
“This match is a consequence of us suffering two relegations, while Newcastle have retained their place in the top league.
“The drive for me is to take the club back to play these fixtures properly.
“We want a derby at the top level and no matter how you dress it up, that’s not this one. It’s a Checkatrade Trophy match and that’s how we’re looking at it.
“The motivation is to move another step closer to Wembley, not beating our rivals.”
Meanwhile, Newcastle midfielder Jonjo Shelvey is almost certain to miss Saturday’s Premier League trip to Chelsea.
Shelvey will see a specialist in Barcelona over his recurring thigh problem.
The injury flared up again when he came off the bench during Saturday’s 1-1 FA Cup draw against Blackburn.