SECOND HALF ACTION (click refresh for latest)

It's all over with James Milner's strike cancelling out Danny Higginbottom's opener to earn a draw for United.

90+3min - The Magpies break looking for a winner but Oba Martins is flagged offside trying to get on the end of Viduka's slipped throughball.

90+1min - Leadbitter searches for a Sunderland winner but his left-footed shot from 20 yards out is always sailing wide of Harper's post.

There will be four minutes added time.

88min - Viduka has been a nuisance all afternoon and his strength works an opening for Milner on the right, he snatches at the effort and the ball whistles wide when really he should've showed a little more composure.

84min - Oba Martins replaces Michael Owen with Alan Smith taking the armband.

82min - The Magpies survive a real scare as Chopra's header clips the underside of the crossbar from Harte's wicked corner, the ball bounces down onto the line where luckily for the visitors Steven Taylor is there to force away from danger before Beye completes the clearance amid a crowded penalty area.

81min - Edwards tries to get the hosts away down the right and sends a deep cross to the back post looking for Stokes, Beye has tracked his run however and heads behind for a flag-kick. Again it's worked short but Stokes' cross is wasteful and flies behind for a goal kick.

76min - Harte whips a set-piece into the box where an unmarked Stokes tries to flick goalwards, the Irish forward gets it all wrong and the ball spoons well wide for a goal kick.

73min - Ross Wallace makes way for Anthony Stokes - the hosts are obviously going for it with three strikers now on the field.

68min - Collins pumps a deep free-kick into the area and Chopra again tries the spectacular only to find Rozehnal in the way of his effort and the ball deflects behind for a corner. Harper does well to race from his line to gather Leadbitter's centre and immediatley sends a long kick downfield - Owen does superbly to pluck the ball from the air and runs at a beckpedalling McShane, the Toon striker works an angle for a shot but his left-footed strike lacks power and Gordon saves low to his right.

65min - NEWCASTLE GOAL (1-1): Emre works it wide for JAMES MILNER who exchanges passes with Joey Barton on the left, the young winger cuts infield before seeing his low cross evade everyone inside the area and find its way into the net via the far post - it's Milner 2nd of the season and sparks mass celebration among the Toon Army behind the goal.

61min - Abdoulaye Faye is injured and is replaced by Habib Beye.

60min - The Geordies are beginning to enjoy a period of attacking pressure and Owen is unlucky to see his flashed header clear the crossbar from Barton's right-wing cross.

58min - It's end-to-end stuff and the Magpies have a penalty shout waved away as Milner tangles with Harte as he tried to force his way into the penalty area from Emre's pass.

57min - United are trying to find that equaliser and Emre has a dig from all of 30 yards which is never troubling Craig Gordon.

52min - SUNDERLAND GOAL (1-0): Faye loses possession on halfway and Jones chases down the loose ball, Rozehnal races across field to slide and concede a corner from the Sunderland striker. The flag-kick is worked short and Leadbitter delivers to the far post where DANNY HIGGINBOTTOM has ghosted in unmarked to head beyond Harper and put the hosts ahead.

50min - Great play by Viduka opens up the hosts' defence as he swivels away from two challenges, the Aussie striker crosses from the by-line with Owen arriving in the six-yard area but it's too high for the Toon striker and the ball skids away to safety.

48min - Leadbitter slips a low pass wide to the unmarked Wallace, he works an angle wide of Milner before standing one up at the far post for Jones to attack, the Black Cats striker gets his header away but Harper is able to save to his left.

The Black Cats get the second period underway with neither side having made any changes.

FIRST HALF ACTION

33min - The Magpies are lucky to be level after a sustained period of pressure - first Ian Harte is denied by Steve Harper after a low shot from Edwards' deep cross, before David Rozehnal hacks away from inside the six-yard box after Grant Leadbitter had smashed the rebounds goalwards from the edge of the edge of the area. The Magpies cannot clear Wallace attacks the by-line before clipping into the centre where an unmarked Leadbitter heads over when really he should've found the target.

31min - Barton trips Wallace on the left and Sunderland have a free-kick. Edwards switches wings to take and sends over a wicked delivery which Faye does well to win from the head of Jones. United break through N'Zogbia on the left and the ball is worked, via Barton, to Viduka in the area, he dummies before shooting goalwards but McShane deflects behind. Emre takes but McShane is able to head clear.

28min - Emre does well to nick from Leadbitter allowing N'Zogbia to cross from deep, the ball evades Viduka but runs for strike partner Owen at the far post, he manages to get a shot away despite the presence of Harte and McShane, Gordon is able to save low at his near post but cannot prevent the ball sneaking behind for a corner. Emre takes but Wallace clears at the near post.

25min - Sunderland break and it's Chopra who tries to catch out former team-mate Harper with a 20 yard chip, luckily for United the effort is wayward and drifts behind for a goal-kick.

24min - N'Zogbia drives United forward down the left-hand touchline and skips by two challenges before a back-tracking Michael Chopra fells the Frenchman - for which he receives the first yellow card of the afternoon. Danny Collins replaces the injured Nyron Nosworthy before the set-piece is taken. Barton eventually does cross but this time it's McShane who is on hand to head away.

20min - Owen is fouled challenging in the air with McShane but Barton's resulting free-kick has too much on it and Gordon is able to gather underneath his crossbar. Sunderland break and Nosworthy tries to cross from the right, Smith is there to deflect behind for a corner. Edwards takes low but Barton is at the near post to hack away.

17min - The hosts are enjoying a spell of pressure and this time it's former Magpie Michael Chopra who tries a spectacular bicycle kick from Edwards centre - the 12-yard effort flying well over the bar.

15min - United squander possession in halway and Edwards tees-up a cross from the right, the winger's deep delivery evades everyone with Ross Wallace ghosting in at the far post, it's a brilliant opening but the young Scot side-foots over the crossbar after connecting with the ball first time - it's a real let off and the best chance of the game so far.

13min - Emre swings a free-kick into the penalty area but it doesn't beat the first man and Etuhu heads away.

9min - Jones is late on Smith on halfway and United have a free-kick. N'Zogbia clips forward to the edge of the box where Viduka controls with his chest before swivelling and volleying towards Craig Gordon's far corner, his effort has too much height and clears the Black Cats crossbar.

5min - Barton is holding nothing back and flies into a challenge with Leadbitter 25 yards out for which Martin Atkinson awards a free-kick to the hosts. Leadbitter takes low but cannot beat the wall and the ball cannons clear, Edwards gathers the scarps and returns into the area where Faye climbs highest to head clear. Edwards goes across to take and stands one up at the far post, United can only half clear and Leadbitter is lurking on the edge to fire goalwards but Taylor is there for the Magpies and takes the ball full in the face before Emre clears.

2min - Ian Harte launches a long free-kick deep into the United penalty area, the ball skids up off the surface and looks as if it's going to run for Ross Wallace coming in at the far post, Steve Harper races from his line to palm away from the winger before Milner completes the clearance.

The Magpies get the game underway - the atmosphere is absolutely electric inside the Stadium of Light!

TEAM NEWS

SAM Allardyce recalls Turkish star Emre, Aussie striker Mark Viduka and Czech defender David Rozehnal for today's Tyne-Wear derby clash at the Stadium of Light.

Nicky Butt (suspended), Jose Enrique and Claudio Cacapa are the players who make way, with Charles N'Zogbia likely to operate in a left-back position.

Alan Smith drops back into midfield where he is joined by Emre, Joey Barton and James Milner.

Michael Owen wears the captain's armband and will be partnered by Viduka in attack.

For Sunderland, former Magpie Michael Chopra starts up front alongside four goal top scorer Kenwyne Jones.

Carlos Edwards also returns to the Black Cats side following injury.

TEAMS

SAFC: Craig Gordon, Nyron Nosworthy, Ian Harte, Danny Higginbottom, Paul McShane, Grant Leadbitter, Ross Wallace, Dickson Etuhu, Carlos Edwards, Michael Chopra, Kenwyne Jones
Subs: Anthony Stokes, Liam Miller, Darren Ward, Danny Collins, David Connolly