Newcastle United boss Alan Pardew is excited about his first Northeast derby with Sunderland.
Pardew is confident he knows exactly what to expect.
He said: "It is certainly the biggest game I will have as Newcastle United manager this season.
"I have seen many Tyne-Wear derbies before and I know what they are - explosive.
"I have played in London derbies and last year I was at Southampton when we played Portsmouth for the first time in a few years. That was quite ferocious.
"However, I know that this will be on a much, much larger scale than that. I am sure of that.
"I am looking forward to it and I know the players are. They are determined to bounce back from the weekend and get a result."
