Nick Woltemade’s own goal early in the second half secured a 1-0 win for Sunderland in the Wear-Tyne derby

Out came the players and opposite them, up went the cards: Sunlun.

Six letters that carried with them a confidence that this time could and would be different. Belief hung in the air that this staggering year, this year where everything changed, had a little more magic left in it yet. That when the final whistle blew Paint Your Wagon would be ringing out, scarfs would be swirling, arms outstretched, the unmistakable smell of red flare left hanging in the nostrils.

Two years ago, Sunderland had limped away from this fixture. Their approach had been meek, apologetic, even deferential. Off the pitch even more than on it. The gap between these two clubs had become a chasm and fans wandered away wondering whether that stung those involved anywhere near as much as it should. Maybe things weren't as bad as they seemed but the gulf felt unbridgeable, two clubs in different universes. Newcastle United's decision to pose for a photo on the Stadium of Light pitch was surely borne from a (perhaps understandable) hubris: they didn't expect to be back here in a game like this, a proper game, anytime soon.

Things are different in Sunlun, now. No one knew what the result would be but everyone knew that Sunlun would turn up. That the atmosphere would be electric, that the city would be alive and upbeat and that the team would be carried with it. It wasn't the first half most had expected, the hosts finding time and space on the ball as Newcastle United sat deep and looked to play on the break. The football itself was no great spectacle even if the tension meant you just couldn't look away. Sunderland edged forward, growing in belief but anxious not to overcommit. Newcastle flickered briefly in moments, brief openings that almost vindicated the strategy, but the wide areas on this day Nordi Mukiele and Reinildo's territory. Granit Xhaka sets the tempo but it is perhaps Mukiele who best embodies the personality of this side. Athletic, tenacious, determined and in absolute lockstep with the crowd. As the stakes and the pressure rose Mukiele grew taller, dominant in the air and on the ground through the closing stages.

Those final minutes felt like hours to those waiting for the final whistle and the party that it promised but there is something unique about this team. These phases of games that are meant to be agony are relished, no excuse needed nor invitation required to throw bodies in harm's way to protect the box and the goal. Backs to the wall, everything on the line? No problem, this is what we do. Régis Le Bris has his own tactical ideas and preferences but he sensed this identity in his new team almost from day one. He sensed a connection between crowd and players, stepped back and gently cultivated it. It's become a self-fulfilling prophecy, the idea of what this team should look like now so clear that recruiting to it has become almost straightforward. It might not always be sparkling and it sure wasn't here, but's intense, it's quick and it's aggressive. It's down to earth but its confident, at ease with itself, on the up and sensing its moment. It's Sunlun.

Newcastle pushed and probed but didn't get too far, two long-range shots from Bruno Guimarães the only time Robin Roefs was called into action in any meaningful way.

In the first half, a loose ball breaks near the halfway line an two players converge. It's Dan Ballard who gets there first, crashing into the challenge and sending the ball flying away from trouble. In the closing minutes, a loose ball breaks by the touchline and two players converge. This time it's Trai Hume who gets there first, crashing into a 50-50 and sending the ball flying for the stand. There's a roar and a pumping of both fists, echoed back with interest from the stand. Ghosts are being laid to rest. As the city starts to party, the players and staff gather before the Roker End for a quick photo. A line is being drawn in the sand, a chapter closed.

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It's cathartic, sure, but it's also something a little more than that. It's Sunlun announcing their arrival, somewhere better and more exciting. You can't ignore it now, or try and explain it away.

Got lucky in the play-offs. Xhaka's legs have gone. Overpaid for Sadiki, never even heard of him. Haven't played anyone yet. Won't win a game in December. Don't have enough shots. Nothing ever goes on over there anyway.

Time to accept that this story is just getting started: Sunlun is on the rise.

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