Sunderland keeper Craig Gordon has warned his team-mates not to get caught up in the derby atmosphere once again as they attempt to set the record straight against arch-rivals Newcastle.
The 28-year-old Scotland international was a stunned bystander as he watched the Magpies' 5-1 rout of their neighbours at St James' Park on October 31 from the bench following his return from injury.
Belgian Simon Mignolet was the man who had to pick the ball out of his net five times after Kevin Nolan plundered a hat-trick and Shola Ameobi maintained his impressive record against the Black Cats with a double. Amid the soul-searching which engulfed Wearside in the wake of the club's worst derby defeat in more than 50 years, manager Steve Bruce admitted that his team had been too young, too naive and had simply not turned up for what for the fans represents one of the two biggest games of the season.
The second of those fixtures takes place at the Stadium of Light on Sunday, and Gordon knows he and his team-mates cannot afford to let the occasion get to them once again.
He said: "It's a time for calm heads. If the manager said that's what he thought the main problem was the last time, then I am sure he is spot-on with that. He has had a lot of time to reflect on it, as we all have, and we will be making sure that doesn't happen again.
"We have got a few players back from injury and suspension now and we are slowly starting to get our squad back together, although it is not at full-strength, as Newcastle won't be. It's a case of both squads being tested to the full, especially after the amount of fixtures we have had recently, and it will be a time for experienced players to go in there and play the game."
Source: PA
