Latest News: 01 March, 2012 NEXT ARTICLE O'Neill previews Tyne-Wear derby 'By reputation this derby is right up there. I can imagine there's been a lot of talk in the build-up.' Martin O'Neill will be hoping his first taste of the Tyne-Wear derby will provide him with a belated birthday present this weekend. Sunderland's manager turned 60 today and takes his side to the Sports Direct Arena to face local rivals Newcastle United on Sunday. O'Neill is an experienced derby operator, having managed Celtic in a number of Old Firm showdowns against age-old foes Rangers. He also led Aston Villa into battle against Second City counterparts Birmingham and is looking forward to a new derby experience this weekend. Sunderland suffered defeat at West Brom in their last outing but O'Neill remains delighted with his side's attitude and progress as he closes in on three months in charge on Wearside. "If you look at the bigger picture, it would be very hard to criticise the players too heavily," he said. "Their efforts have been fantastic over the last couple of months. It was a disappointing defeat last week, but it can happen." He continued: "I've never experienced a north east derby in terms of Sunderland and Newcastle. "Obviously I've experienced other derbies, such as the Glasgow one on a number of occasions. "By reputation this derby is right up there. I can imagine there's been a lot of talk in the build-up. "We have a number of players away at this moment but there's a flavour of the thing around the training ground and people talking about it in general. "We must compete for the full 90 minutes." Sunderland are looking for their first win on Tyneside since 2000 and take on a Newcastle side who have lost only twice on home turf this season - to Chelsea and West Brom. And O'Neill says his side must be ready for the derby challenge and channel the progress they've made since he took charge on Wearside. "I heard people talking about advice to Cardiff City in the Carling Cup final last week," the manager added. "They said 'play the game, not the occasion'. I'm not so sure that I know what that means. "It is a big occasion and a big game and we've got to be ready for it. What happens on the pitch decides everything. "We must have the same approach we've had generally over the last couple of months." Meanwhile, Sunderland go into the game following a pair of Wear-Tees derbies against Middlesbrough in the FA Cup with Budweiser and O'Neill is keen to see the three big north-east clubs reunited in the top flight. "I've said this in general terms before; I would like a really strong north east," he explained. "It's a hotbed of football - it has been for generations - and I'd like to see that return."
