Sifu

This ending

It's a bit of a puzzler. Lambert's proven that he can score at this level but Adkins seems to have other ideas.

What's with the James Bond pitter patter?

Shearer's being fed shite through his earpiece.

Guess they're going to ignore Larsson's studs on Shola's chest. Typical.

No Al

What did he say? He usually talks s****... basically harsh red Well then, good on him for saying that. Though I fully expect Colin Murray to be adamant that it was a red card.

What did he say? He usually talks shite...

Why, dude? Williamson hasn't turned into John Terry. I was blinded by our history of unusual derby scorers - Dabizas, O'Brien, Chopra, Luque, Raylor, Domi etc. Guess you can't polish a turd. It'll work in April. Watch this space!

Nowt with mushy peas Neil, I demand you take that analogy out of your post

Post-mortem time. Like I've said earlier, I really can't help but feel that we've dropped 2 points here. The mackems offered absolutely fuck all - the fact that the likes of Johnson and Sessegnon (their "creativity") did nothing of note just sums up their overall performance (we had to score for them ffs ha!). I'm not talking out of my own arse here but I really do think we were just about the better team. But once again, being their usual jammy selves, the mackems got out of jail. If that's the best they can offer against a team down to 10 men, then dare I say that they're going to struggle through this season. It was a decent, battling performance from our players (certainly after going down to 10 men) and we were desperately unlucky not to make it 2-0 in the second half. We were defensively solid (we have Colo to thank for that really) and I think keeping a solid line was the best thing to do when we went down to 10 men so bringing on Perch was a good move really. All in all, I guess that if you had asked me what score I would settle for before the game, then 1-1 (or a score draw) would have been it. It's just a kick in the teeth to lose the lead at such a late time in the game.

Calm as you like. Everything he did today just oozed confidence and assurance. So glad he's back, a very worthy MOTM

2-0 methinks. Cissé et Shola.

I'm still really undecided about the red card tbh. It looked rather bad in real time but the replays did show that it was in no way malicious. To be brutally honest, it was a 50-50 call for the cunt ref and one which unfortunately didn't go our way. Cheik needs to tone it down a bit mind - it's not the first time he's had a rush of blood to the head and went in hard on a player and fouled them in the process. It's probably down to the nature of the beast but a little coaching will do him some good.

Martin Atkinson should never be allowed to ref a Tyne-Wear Derby ever again. A shambolic refereeing performance, the occasion (and for some reason the atmosphere) clearly overwhelmed him. No bookings for any of the mackems ffs.

Hmmm, that's not as sexy as last season's. Having said that, still early days.

McNally really needs to fuck off like.

Can't help but feel that we've just lost 2 points there. Urgh. Jammy mackem bastards.

There's a mackem in the pub who I really want to deck...

It's time.

As predicted, I'm a wreck. Stomach is not doing well, need a KFC and a pint in me.

12 hours left. Time to prepare myself for the day ahead.

Good on him tbh.

Opposite for me. Once I wake up the nerves will have gone and I know worrying about the result won't impact on the actual game itself. You can chew yourself all day but it's pointless energy. Just wait for the game, see what happens an deal with it - good or bad. Wise words midds but I can't help it unfortunately, it's just my nature to be that way on Derby Day. As soon as the game kicks off (and as soon as I have my pint), my nerves will probably settle but until then...

So yep, going to be a right nervous wreck tomorrow morning