Newcastle boss Eddie Howe has performed down the importance of a blunder which noticed a bar on the residence of arch-rivals Sunderland embellished in his membership’s colors forward of Saturday’s FA Cup derby.
The Wearside membership have launched an investigation into how the Black Cats Bar on the Stadium of Gentle, which can host company hospitality for travelling followers, was decked out in black and white and Magpies slogans, sparking fury from residence supporters.
However as “disgusted and harm” Sunderland chairman Kyril Louis-Dreyfus vowed to deal with the difficulty, Newcastle head coach Howe waved away ideas the 6,000 visiting supporters had been handed a head-start within the run-up to the eagerly-anticipated third-round fixture.
He mentioned: “No, I don’t really feel that. Look, these items can occur, it’s as much as Sunderland what they do with their stadium. It’s nothing to do with us.”
The sport, the primary between the perimeters for nearly eight years, represents Howe’s first style of the Tyne-Put on rivalry, and he’s anticipating his gamers to deal with the white-hot ambiance.
Requested if he thought the signage row may additional gasoline the fervour of the house followers, he mentioned: “No matter what you’re anticipating, you continue to must play the match in entrance of you.
“We’ve simply acquired to clean out any distractions and play the sport and use our assist – which I’m positive can be unbelievable – to propel us to a very good efficiency.”
At a whole loss for phrases
What on earth are the membership doing?!?!?! #FTM pic.twitter.com/bCqC7g5zZk
— A LOVE SUPREME (@ALS_Fanzine) January 4, 2024
The controversy got here to gentle on Thursday, when photos of the bar have been circulated on social media.
Sunderland later apologised and confirmed it might be returned to its authentic state.
Louis-Dreyfus wrote on Instagram: “I want to apologise to everybody related to Sunderland AFC for the occasions which have unfolded at the moment.
“Like our supporters, I used to be disgusted and harm by the photographs circulating on-line of the inappropriate indicators which were ripped down.
“I take full duty for each choice that’s taken by the workers of our membership and you’ve got my phrase that I’ll personally be sure that we make the required modifications required to enhance as a result of it’s clear that there are lots of areas the place we have to be higher.”
