While Jermain Defoe was scoring the winning goal for Sunderland in a thrilling 3-2 comeback win over Chelsea on Saturday, local rivals Newcastle United were huffing and puffing at Villa Park, unable to break down the already-relegated Aston Villa.
The final score was goalless in the Midlands, helping Sunderland climb out of the relegation zone and move within two points of Premier League survival. A win on Wednesday against Everton will secure their spot in the top flight and send Newcastle down - a nice touch for the locals.
However, while all the focus has been on the Mags' inability to down an already-relegated side, Defoe was not all that surprised by the result.
What's the big deal?
Speaking to the Chronicle, when asked if he was shocked by Villa's draw with Newcastle, Defore replied "not at all."
It's been nearly a month since Villa's fate was sealed at the hands of Manchester United, but the Sunderland striker believes they will have had other motivations heading into the game.
"Maybe they approached it like it was their last home game and the players wanted to give something to their fans," he suggested.
Instead of being surprised at the result, Defoe was surprised at the build-up. "A lot of people said in the week Newcastle would win," he recalls, but the former England international was never convinced, looking at it as "a difficult game" for the Toon Army.
He was proven right too, adding that anything can happen in the Premier League and that, while "Villa are down," they are still "a massive team."
One win from safety - or two draws
The result means Sunderland need just two points from their last two games to ensure survival - everything can be done and dusted with a win over Everton on Wednesday.
However, while it's easy for the Black Cats to get over-excited after a huge weekend for them, Defoe has urged the team to keep their heads.
"It is important to stay relaxed and calm," he said ahead of Wednesday's match - one he described as "massive."
With an incredible set of fans behind them, Defoe is confident that Sunderland can stay up, saying that the support deserves top flight football.
"That atmosphere [against Chelsea] proved why Sunderland should be in the Premier League," he concluded, and now he will be looking to give the fans exactly that by the end of a huge week.