Newcastle United and Sunderland will both be represented heavily at the Africa Cup of Nations in January.
Newcastle United and Sunderland fans will not be treated to or have to suffer a Tyne-Wear derby this season, with the two rivals now playing in separate divisions.
However, a Magpie and a Black Cat will face off in January when Mohamed Diame’s Senegal take on Wahbi Khazri’s Tunisia in the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations.
The two countries have been drawn together in Group B of the competition, which will kick off in Gabon on 14 January.
Neither player has enjoyed a great start to the season on a personal note, with Khazri only getting into David Moyes’ starting line up due to the magnitude of injuries at the club, while Diame has featured heavily under Rafael Benitez but is yet to set the world alight in black and white, more often than not frustrating Newcastle fans.
In Group C, Ivory Coast have been drawn alongside DR Congo and Morocco, which means Sunderland’s Lamine Kone could be going toe-to-toe with Newcastle defenders Chancel Mbemba and Achraf Lazaar respectively
With Sunderland floundering in the Premier League as Newcastle flourish in the Championship, it could be a long time before we see another Tyne-Wear derby, excluding potential cup ties, so the opportunity to see two North East players going head to head could be as good as it gets for the Geordies and the Mackems.
While the clash between Senegal and Tunisia will not be as full-blooded as a Newcastle and Sunderland match, the prize is much greater as they compete for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations.
Although if you are from the North East, the Tyne-Wear derby is probably a bigger game to you…
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