Newcastle United defender Davide Santon admits the atmosphere at Sunderland last season rattled him.

He admits that even he was "scared" by the hostile atmosphere when he played for Newcastle in their 1-1 St James' Park draw with deadly rivals Sunderland last ­season.

Santon told the Sunday Mirror: "I didn't play in the first game last season when ­Newcastle won 1-0, but I played in the second one.

"It was a fantastic experience. The fans were crazy and I really enjoyed the game. I remember the managers being crazy too, and Sunderland having two players sent off.

"But I think it's normal, because the Milan derby was similar. ­Everyone wants to win. I played twice with Inter and we won the first 3-0 and the second 2-1. It made all the difference that we won those games against AC Milan. Perhaps that is why I love derbies so much. They've made me very happy.

"The difference is that here the stadium is a bit smaller, but the fans are more aggressive than in Milan.

"Here, the rivalry is more ­intense, more crazy. I was even a little bit scared in the first half, but I really enjoyed it."