Can we swap Belgium for Newcastle?
It would certainly make our Euro 2016 group less foreboding, particularly with John O’Shea in our team.
Newcastle fans may think Mike Ashley is the club’s biggest enemy, but really it is the Sunderland captain who haunts their dreams.
The Waterford native has NEVER lost a Premier League match against the Magpies. His 21 games unbeaten is a Premier League record and a testament to the longevity of the Republic of Ireland centre-half’s career in the English top flight.
While 12 of those Newcastle clashes came during his 13 years at Manchester United, the nine most recent have been in the colours of Sunderland.
John O’Shea’s unbeaten streak against Newcastle is a record for any player against a single opponent in the #BPL pic.twitter.com/I2DU2i6bVT
— Premier League (@premierleague) March 23, 2016
That speaks volumes for where the balance of power rests in the Tyne-Wear derby of late. Since O’Shea arrived at the Stadium of Light in 2011 Sunderland have played 182 Premier League matches, losing 82 of them, drawing 57 and winning just 43.
Sam Allardyce’s men are once again struggling in the Premier League, sitting in the relegation places, but they still have bragging rights over Newcastle, winning six in a row before last weekend’s draw.
Still, local bragging rights will count for little if O’Shea’s long, unbroken Premier League career is ended this season. Despite Sunderland’s struggles O’Shea still ranks 11th in the SportsJOE Euro 2016 power rankings.
