Roy Keane's £5million summer signing handed Kevin Ball one of his worst days in football 19 months ago when he came on as a substitute in the derby game and completely turned the game Newcastle's way.

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Ball was caretaker-manager of Sunderland in April 2006 when Chopra equalised for Newcastle within seconds of coming on as a substitute to set the black and whites on their way to a devastating 4-1 win on Wearside.

Sunderland had led through Justin Hoyte's first-half goal and looked comfortable until Chopra struck on the hour, a goal which was followed by an Alan Shearer penalty and then further efforts from Charles N'Zogbia and Albert Luque.

It was a shocking turnaround because Sunderland had looked as though they were on their way to victory before Chopra ran on pitch as a substitute and didn't even have to check his run as he got on the end of an immediate cross and scored within seconds of his arrival.

This Saturday, though, Chopra lines up against the Magpies rather than for them and Ball is hoping he can become a derby star for the second time in a row.

He said: "Chops has done magnificently since he came to this club.

"He left Newcastle and went to Cardiff, scored goals there and then Roy Keane showed faith in him and brought him to Sunderland.

"As a Newcastle lad who has scored against Sunderland in a derby, for him to cross the water and join us was a brave decision because he knows what the rivalry means to fans in the North-East.

"People will make a lot of it this week, but I think it will go above Chops' head and he won't let it bother him.

"Ultimately, the Newcastle fans will respect the fact that Chops is here to do a job and to do it to the very best of his ability.

"He will handle it no problem this weekend and he could become someone who has scored for and against Newcastle in the derby – because if he gets a chance on Saturday, he'll take it."

While insisting Chopra has the mental strength to be unaffected as he lines up against the club where he started his career, Ball admits that he was glad that he himself never had to play against Sunderland after leaving the club in 1999.

The former Sunderland skipper and current assistant academy director, said: "I have to be honest and say that when I left Sunderland, I never ever wanted to play against them and I was delighted that I never did.

"Having spent so long at the club and having had such great times here, to come back and play against them I would have found very difficult emotionally.

"It wouldn't have been too much for me, though – I would still have gone out and done my best – but it would have been tough."

Ball is one of a small band of men who have not only played but also managed in a Tyne-Wear derby, but he says there is no comparison between the two experiences.

"I've played in several Tyne-Wear derbies and was a manager in one, which was a totally different feeling because you can't influence the game in the same way," he said.

"I stood on the touchline with my stomach going round like a washing machine, but there was no way to physically get that energy out of my system.

"The pressure is mental rather than physical when you're a manager.

"In the last derby, I was in the dugout and this time I will be in a seat in the stadium, but I will still be kicking every ball.

"I'm really looking forward to the game and I think it will be a great occasion."

Sunderland go into the game on the back of a 1-0 defeat at Manchester City on Monday night; Newcastle on the back of a 4-1 humbling at the hands of Portsmouth at St James's Park last Saturday.

That only makes the derby game even more pressurised and important to two sides still hoping to hit a purple patch of form in the games ahead.

Ball said: "Newcastle had a bad result at the weekend and ours wasn't particularly good on Monday night, so both teams will want to put it right on Satuday and there is no better opportunity to do it than in the derby.

"The players should be relishing the chance to do that.

"I know Sam Allardyce and he will have his players fired up and, from Sunderland's point of view, the stage doesn't come any bigger than in a derby game at the Stadium of Light."