Newcastle trumped by Sunderland as Alan Pardew gambles for Tyne-Wear derby win

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Such was Alan Pardew’s desperation to win his first Tyne-Wear derby since 2011, he lost.

With half an hour remaining and a fiery contest goalless, he turned to a 17-year-old Geordie playing for the first time in the fixture. Adam Armstrong was the romance card.

Still without score some 15 minutes later, he gambled. Off came midfield enforcer Cheick Tiote to be replaced by Papiss Cisse, the half-fit striker who only needs half a chance to score a goal. He got one and missed.

Newcastle manager Alan Pardew has not taken a single point from his last four meetings with Sunderland

Sunderland winger Adam Johnson scored a late goal to seal a 1-0 win against rivals Newcastle United

Johnson is mobbed by his team-mates after scoring the dramatic winner against Alan Pardew's side

Then came the Joker, £12million flop Remy Cabella was introduced as Pardew played his final hand. Within two minutes it was Sunderland having the last laugh, exposing gaping holes in Newcastle’s midfield to break with unforgiving efficiency. Adam Johnson was the match-winner and, for the first time in derby history, a Newcastle manager had lost four on the bounce.

The withdrawal of Tiote afforded Johnson the space to exploit. Sunderland head coach Gus Poyet knew as much, but was too canny to gloat.

‘I think Alan was brave, very, very brave,’ said the Uruguayan.

‘He put on as many strikers as he could to win the game and for 10 or 15 minutes, they gave us plenty of problems.

‘It was a very good and brave move from Alan. Now because of that, we were able to break and score the goal.

With the game goalless and Pardew desperate for a winner, Gus Poyet's men capitalsed on some questionable managerial decisions from his opposite number

Poyet celebrates emphatically following Johnson's late goal against local rivals Newcastle at St James' Park

Johnson raises his arms in victory in front of the travelling Sunderland supporters at St James' Park

‘It's unfair, but sometimes in football that happens. You put plenty of forward players on and you win it 2-0 or 3-0, or it can go the other way.’

There had, in fairness, been chances to win it for the hosts – Armstrong shot when he should have crossed to the unmarked Moussa Sissoko and Ayoze Perez was thwarted by Costel Pantilimon.

Pardew even started one move himself with a half-volley down the touchline in an attempt to hurry a throw-in, but the efforts of he and his team were to end in despair, again.

The Newcastle boss admits it was a case of misadventure.

‘We were always liable to overcommit,’ he said. ‘If we had one fault it was overcommitting in the end period of the game where you have to be disciplined, particularly given the history of this fixture where Sunderland have caught us on the break before and they have done it again.’

He did, though, defend the motivation behind the changes.

Pardew called upon 17-year-old Adam Armstrong to play for the first time in the notoriously feisty fixture

The Magpies manager also brought off midfield custodian Cheik Tiote to bring on striker Papiss Cisse

‘This club wants to see goals and I would never be manager here and accept a draw at home,’ he said.

‘We should still have the discipline in the team regardless of how many offensive players we have on.

‘If ever we were going to lose a game then do it in that manner, trying to push for a win. As much as we tried to, we just couldn’t get the goal.’

Brave, meanwhile, would be the best way to describe Steven Taylor’s headed clearance from the goal-line in the second half which kept the game level but was at the expense of a bloodied cheek when he clattered into the post.

‘Steven is hurting physically and mentally,’ said Pardew. ‘He had a couple of stitches but he’ll be okay.’

After three defeats in eight days, will Newcastle be okay? Next up is a trip to Manchester United on Boxing Day.

‘This compounds the defeats at Arsenal and Spurs. We have to lick our wounds and prepare quickly for Manchester United,’ added Pardew.

‘We’re still in a healthy position in the league.

‘It’s painful but this disappointment is different to what it felt like earlier in the season – you can see that our players gave everything.’

In giving everything, however, they ended up with nothing.