Countdown to the Tyne/Wear derby.

Before you all start, I know I haven't posted in a while, no reason, I'm just a lazy git.

Thought I'd post about the main thing exciting me at the moment, and I would assume the main thing exciting any football fan in the area. The Tyne/Wear derby on sunday the 4th of March!

For people around the world (mainly silly Americans who insist on calling this beautiful sport played with a foot and a ball, soccer) who aren't familiar with the importance of this game allow me put it into perspective for you. Here are a few things I look forward to less than the Newcastle/Sunderland matches.

• Christmas
• The discovery of intelligent life on other planets
• Sex

I could go on, but I won't bore you any more. Just understand, I bloody love this game.

This is how excited I actually am.

So yes, I am incredibly excited for sunday, as I always am. So I thought I'd let you know my predictions and what not, because I'm good like that. And yes, it will be biased, the mackems aren't going to win. Before I start though, I'm not a sports writer in ANY way shape or form, all of the information I have included comes from different sources round the internet and is in no way official or definitely true.

Shola the mackem slayer.

Let's start with missing players, we're still missing Steven Taylor of course, who in my humble opinion is one of our top players, and has been greatly missed. Also, it's looking more and more likely we're going to be missing our in house mackem slayer Shola Ameobi, who is ill and has missed training, which will be a shame. Fingers crossed he'll pull through in time. But still, all of our players came back from international duty without any injuries, so we are pretty much at full strength!

Sunderland also have a pretty much full strength squad, with apparent doubts over Phil Bardsley, and Titus Bramble also unlikely to make an appearance. This will mean pretty much the same squad which suffered a 4-0 trouncing at West Brom last saturday are likely to walk out at St James' Park.

Notice I said st James' Park, not the Sports Direct Arena. More on this another day...

All in all, I think this could be the best derby game in years. Both teams are in similarly good form, with a very similar record over the last 6 games. This is a close one to call, but still, speaking as unbiased as I possibly can, I do think Newcastle United will edge it.

I'm predicting a 2-0 win for the magpies. 

TOON TOON!

Gan canny lads and lasses, enjoy the match!

Stephen