'Might be playing them next year' - Sunderland defender Tom Flanagan delivers verdict on Newcastle United takeover

The Magpies’ takeover was completed last week when a Saudi-led consortium ended Mike Ashley's 14-year ownership of the Tyneside club.

The takeover sees Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund take controlling 80-per-cent stake in Newcastle United.

Although the group also comprises of PCP Capital Partners and RB Sports & Media.

Steve Bruce’s men, however, suffered a 3-2 loss to Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday and are winless in the Premier League so far this season.

Since the deal’s conclusion, though, Newcastle have become the hottest topic in football with accusations of sportswashing and questions over the Saudi state’s record on human rights.

There has been much noise, too, around how long it will take the new owners to transform the club from relegation candidates into title challengers.

But for Flanagan and his Sunderland teammates, it is business as usual.

When asked if there had been any reaction from Black Cats’ dressing room reaction to the takeover by a national reporter post-Gillingham, Flanagan said: “There’s been nothing really. It’s great for them, that’s brilliant.

“But Man City, look at them, they still haven’t won a Champions League so it doesn’t mean you’re going to win everything.

“It’s nothing that we are too interested in and they’re not safe yet so you never know, we might be playing them next year.”

Flanagan starred as Sunderland defeated Gillingham at 2-1 Priestfield Stadium on Saturday and netted the winning goal before Elliot Embleton was sent off.

"It was the worst possible scenario at this stadium with the way that they play to go down to 10 men.

“I thought we were a lot later on. I was expecting to look at the clock and we were going to be on 80 minutes but I looked and we were on 65 or something like that.

“I thought, ‘This is going to be a long one.’ But we didn’t go to a five [at the back] as we didn’t want to add pressure and we didn’t want to draw them on.

“We had the young lads on the bench but we’ve still proved that we could do it and everyone has earned the trust of the manager.”

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