Like many Tyne-Wear derbies before it, the 2010 edition of this thrilling North-East affair provided many subplots in the days leading up to the big battle. Could Sunderland make it eight games without defeat? Could they continue their impressive defensive resilience at the home of their great rivals? Was this to be the end of Chris Hughton's time in charge of Newcastle United? Would the Magpies' 4-4-2 formation stand up to the big test?
All those questions were pretty much answered prior to the half-time interval, as the home side raced into an unassailable three-goal lead which they would only build on following the restart. This was a game truly dominated by United, who climbed above their opponents into seventh place in the league table just to add insult to injury on a day to forget for the Black Cats.
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On Halloween of all days, Sunderland were served up a horror show that would take a long time to truly shake out of the system. They may have had the better of these local derbies in recent times, winning each of the last six meetings, but this occasion was all about Newcastle. In particular, it was an afternoon to remember for hat-trick hero Kevin Nolan.
Hughton's tactics were clear from the off, as the hosts looked to get the ball into wide positions before feeding the large front pairing of Shola Ameobi and Andy Carroll in a central position. Nolan was the man who benefited most from the many knock-downs, firing home his first 26 minutes in when he latched on to Ameobi's header to smartly flick over the reach of Simon Mignolet in goal.
While Nolan may lack pace, his ability to pop up in the right place at the right time - in a similar way to countrymen Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard - ensured that he would always prove to be a real threat to handle. Sunderland were learning all about his effervescent play at St James' Park, as he calmly slotted home a second after Carroll's scissor-kick attempt fell nicely into his path.
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It would not be all Newcastle in the opening half, though, with Sunderland trying their best to get in behind their opponents' backline through the likes of Danny Welbeck, Darren Bent and substitute Asamoah Gyan. All the running was in vain, however, thanks to an Ameobi penalty on the brink of half time, which resulted in Titus Bramble seeing red. Everything that could possibly go wrong for the Black Cats simply went wrong.
Nolan was not too happy to see his teammate step up for the penalty, knowing that he was one goal away from claiming a derby-day treble, but his third was to arrive 15 minutes from time - shortly after Ameobi had bagged a second of his own - to truly put the seal on a memorable match for the hosts.
Bent's late consolation, coming after he volleyed home a corner, was met with ironic cheers from the home supporters rather than loud ones from the visiting section. This one was long over. So it would be Hughton, not childhood Toon fan Steve Bruce, who would receive all the post-match accolades. Talk of the sack had now been replaced by supposed discussions over a new contract.
"It's difficult to pick out one player on a day which was very special for the team," Hughton said after the game. "It would have been special for the back four and keeper to come away with a clean sheet but Sunderland are a handful up front and we defended well."
Of course, history tells us that Hughton - the man who guided his side back into the Premier League at the first time of asking - would last just another five weeks or so in the St James' Park hot seat, while Bruce departed Sunderland 12 months later. On a day that started with so many questions, it was Newcastle - and Nolan in particular - who provided all the answers.
Newcastle United: Krul; Enrique, Coloccini, Williamson, Simpson; Nolan, Barton, Tiote, Gutierrez; Carroll, Ameobi (Ranger-86)
Sunderland: Mignolet; Bardsley, Turner, Bramble, Onuoha; Cattermole, Malbranque (Mensah-76), Henderson, Elmohamady (Gyan-40); Bent, Welbeck (Richardson-55)
Daniel Lewis
