SUNDERLAND added more fuel to the fire of their intense rivalry with Newcastle.
For the first time in nearly 10 years, the feisty Tyne-Wear derby returned to the Premier League at the Stadium of Light on Sunday.
The Black Cats refused to acknowledge their opponents on their stadium scoreboard, merely referring to them as “visitors”.
Normally, the scoreboard displays the club crest of the away team.
Speaking ahead of the game on Sky Sports, Gary Neville said: “It’s the rowdiest, most boisterous prawn sandwich brigade I’ve ever seen in my life.
“Apparently today they’re not gonna put the name of Newcastle up on the actual digital scoreboard … which I love stuff like that.
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“I think that sort of takes rivalry to a new level and it’s unbelievably hostile up here.”
Fans have quickly chimed in on Sunderland‘s “petty” act on X.
One wrote: “Sunderland just putting visitors on the electronic scoreboard is the type of f***ing pettiness I can get behind.”
Another said: “The Tyne-Wear derby is so funny. Sunderland didn’t put Newcastle’s name on the scoreboard; instead, they wrote ‘visitors’.”
Sunderland have enjoyed a successful return to the Premier League after winning the Championship promotion play-off final.
With 23 points from their opening 15 games, they were 10th and a point ahead of Newcastle before kick-off.
But Eddie Howe‘s men can leapfrog their bitter rivals with an away win in Wearside.
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