Sunderland manager Sam Allardyce has insisted that the scoreline in the ‘secret derby’ against Newcastle United was meaningless, despite his side thrashing their neighbors 6-0.
Youngster Duncan Watmore scored a hat-trick for Sunderland as the Black Cats made light work of Newcastle at the Stadium of Light in a behind-closed-doors match on Wednesday.
Allardyce and Magpies box Steve McClaren agreed the friendly to give their entire squad the chance, seen as neither club made it past the third round of the FA Cup this season.
Friendly allowed players game-time
Jan Kirchhoff and Dame N’Doye enjoyed some playing time during the week and Black Cats boss Allardyce believes that game-time for his new signings was more important than the final score.
“The result was nothing. If we had lost 6-0, it wouldn’t have mattered to me whatsoever,” Allardyce said.
“All that mattered was how the players played and got through 90 minutes of a quality, high-tempo game at the Stadium of Light.”
The Black Cats have a tricky spell coming up, with Manchester City and Manchester United coming up to Wearside in the next 11 days along with a trip to Liverpool.
Black Cats rotate squad
Sunderland’s side included highly-rated goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, and the defence consisted of Adam Matthews, Kirchhoff, Thomas Beadling and DeAndre Yedlin.
Jack Rodwell was joined in the midfield by Ola Toivonen and Liam Agnew and the front three consisted of Watmore, Steven Fletcher and N’Doye.
Allardyce claimed that being in the North East is very difficult in terms of playing a competitive friendly with only two sides being able to play a game on the required level
Allardyce and McClaren grateful of friendly
Allardyce added: “In this area, there’s only Middlesbrough and Newcastle who can provide a game of that level. That’s why me and Steve [McClaren] were very grateful to put the game on.
“With no game this weekend, playing those players and giving them a feel with who they’ll play with and getting some match practice was very important to us.”
New signing Steve Harper, who played for Newcastle for over 20 years, watched from the stands as he still awaits to pull on the Sunderland shirt for the first time.