Newcastle 1-2 sunderland

&c

Newcastle's season finally imploded on Sunday lunchtime as they turned in a gutless, pitiful second half performance to throw away the second derby of the season.

There is a temptation to talk about how this is another game for us, a cup final for them, that we don't really care.

Nonsense.

This is the game that keeps you up at night.

This is the first game you look for when the fixtures are announced.

This is the game that evokes emotions that no other football game does, a game in which winning brings relief more than joy, but losing feels like a form of grieving.

Where winning can save a season, and losing can ruin a season, and where not turning up and fighting for the shirt - TWICE - can be fatal.

Continuing the theme of a season in which we've thrown away TWENTY TWO points from winning positions in the league, Newcastle simply handed sunderland the win in the second half despite going in at half time leading.

Coming out for the second half, our first act from the kick off was to punt the ball out for a goal kick.

It was the single worst kick off routine I've ever seen, utterly braindead, and it set the tone for the half.

After a first half which we edged, during which Gordon had finished well after Woltemade - restored to midfield - pounced on a terrible clearance, the visitors realised we posed about as much threat as a newborn kitten, and we seemed to think we'd gone back to playing Barcelona away given the unfathomable amount of respect we gave them.

Botman took a boot to the head and went off with concussion, and moments later the visitors were level, Ramsdale flapping at a corner and not a single man in black and white taking responsibility for the second ball, allowing it to be forced home from close range.

The introduction of Jacob Murphy at least saw us - or rather him - try and test the nervy away keeper, and Thiaw headed a corner home only to see it disallowed for a Murphy offside as he stood in front of the keeper.

That seemed to deflate us even further, if that was possible, and it was no surprise in the final minutes when the visitors forced home a winner.

There were still seven minutes to play, but there was never a single hint of an equaliser.

That this cycle has come to an end is now beyond doubt.

The question is how we conduct the reset.

Personally, I still believe in Eddie Howe.

I think given support in the transfer market - support, not responsibility - he should be given next season to build a new team, and I'd happily see just about any of the players sold to the highest bidder.

That's obviously heat of the moment, and excludes Bruno, Hall and Miley - at least two of whom will be strongly linked with moves away all summer by a rabid press.

It's debatable how much support Howe still retains among the fan base though, with valid concerns over tactical inflexibility, predictable subs and his fingerprints on a disastrous summer window last year.

Whatever we do, we better have a plan ready to execute the second the season ends, as another repeat of last summer would be beyond disastrous.

Final note on the idiot in the home end who allegedly racially abused visiting player Lutsharel Geertruida - reform voters are more common South of the river, maybe try switching allegiances.

You're certainly not welcome here.