Sunderland are pushing for promotion from the Championship this season

Former Sunderland midfielder Boudewijn Zenden has claimed that it would be “massive” for the Black Cats to make a return to the Premier League and rekindle their Wear-Tyne Derby rivalry with Newcastle United.

The Dutchman spent a little under two years on the books at the Stadium of Light towards the end of his playing career, and experienced the local clash twice during the 2010/11 campaign - once as an unused substitute in a 5-1 Sunderland defeat, and once in a late cameo appearance during a 1-1 draw at the Stadium of Light.

Since the Black Cats’ relegation from the top flight in 2017, however, the two clubs have met just once, with Newcastle sealing a 3-0 FA Cup third round victory over their red and white counterparts in January of last year.

But Zenden is eager to see the fixture become a regular occurrence once again. When asked during an interview with casinoscout.nl whether either Sunderland or another of his former sides, Middlesbrough, could one day kick on to compete with the Magpies once again, the Dutchman responded: “This obviously goes for both teams, Middlesbrough and Sunderland. I've been with both teams and I played with both teams in the Premier League in the North East.

“It's been hard to see both teams going from Premier League football all the way down to the third division, or second division and the Championship. I'm really pleased that over the years they've been able to get back up and move up the ladder again and be solid and prove that there's places to go.

“And if you look at Sunderland, in my last season at Sunderland, we finished 10th in the league. We finished on the left side of the table. That was the highest that Sunderland ever finished. And then, in the years after, they went down.

“And with Middlesbrough, we played in Europe and won the League Cup and were seventh in the league. For me, to see them do well and have the possibility to get back in the Premier League, that would be amazing. As well for Sunderland, it's a big stadium with a big fan base. Can you imagine? Sunderland getting back up in the Premier League and then playing against Newcastle again. That would be a massive derby. I think everybody would be looking out for that.”

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