Oli Nixon's bet builder tips for Newcastle vs Sunderland features Newcastle to win, Malick Thiaw to score anytime and Granit Xhaka to be carded.

At the time of publishing it is a best price of 35/1 with bet365.

Oli Nixon's Newcastle vs Sunderland Bet Builder Tips

Newcastle to win

Despite battling fatigue from chasing shadows at the Nou Camp on Wednesday evening, Newcastle should be highly motivated to avoid their neighbours completing the double over them for the first time since 2015. The Magpies are still in the race for European qualification and despite a wobble on their own patch recently, seeing off Man Utd with ten men last time out will have rebuilt some confidence. With an international break on the horizon, their players can throw everything at getting a result here to make up for their midweek thrashing.

Sunderland have an excellent recent record in this fixture, unbeaten in the last ten league meetings but their away form this season leaves a lot to be desired. The Black Cats have won just once on the road in league action since late October and even that victory came heavily against the run of play at Leeds. The visitors can go above Eddie Howe’s men with a win here but have secured their priority of survival and are starting to run out of steam, having lost four of their last six league games.

Malick Thiaw to score anytime

On the face of it, Sunderland’s record of just ten goals conceded from set pieces this season paints a picture of a side who are strong defending dead balls. However, five of the last seven goals that Regis Le Bris’ team have conceded have come from set plays, hinting at a recent vulnerability from such situations. They are also without the aerially dominant Dan Ballard and Nordi Mukiele whilst first choice goalkeeper Robin Roefs is also a doubt, further weakening their rearguard.

Newcastle have scored the third most goals from restarts in the Premier League and so are well placed to capitalise on Sunderland’s recent difficulties. Their biggest aerial threat is Malick Thiaw who has five goals to his name across all competitions this season and is averaging 0.98 shots per 90 and so is regularly getting chances. The Frenchman has worked the goalkeeper in five of his last six league starts and should be licking his lips at the likely Sunderland backline.

Granit Xhaka to be carded

We can’t have a Tyne-Wear Derby betbuilder without cards and one man who is no stranger to referee’s notebooks is Sunderland captain Granit Xhaka. The Swiss midfielder has long held a reputation for aggressive tackling and with a career average of 0.21 cards per 90 in Premier League action, he’s consistently over-stepping the mark in the eyes of the officials. Xhaka has been carded five times this season in 26 league appearances and was booked last time out against Brighton too.

Newcastle’s midfield trio of Joelinton, Sandro Tonali and Jacob Ramsey will provide plenty of physical battles for Xhaka and given that they’ve drawn 4.11 fouls per 90 between them this season, he could be in for a tough afternoon. Referee Anthony Taylor has already booked Xhaka this season and if the game plays out as I expect with a Newcastle victory, the Swiss veteran is more than capable of a frustrated late challenge to land this leg of our betbuilder.