Sunderland stun Newcastle

LONDON

Adam Johnson scored in the 90th minute to give Sunderland their fourth successive win over Newcastle in the North East derby Sunday.

The winger placed his shot past Jak Alnwick following an excellent counter-attack by the Black Cats.

They also went close through Steven Fletcher, whose shot hit the post, while Connor Wickham wasted chances. Newcastle striker Ayoze Perez was twice denied by Costel Pantilimon, who also saved from Moussa Sissoko.

Elsewhere, Dundee United moved up to second in the Scottish Premiership with a 2-1 win over leaders Celtic to end the Hoops’ eight game winning run on Sunday.

With just one win in their past 21 matches against the Glasgow giants the odds were stacked against United before kick-off.

Nadir Ciftci opened the scoring for United in the fifth minute with a superb strike before setting up Stuart Armstrong to head home a second in the 65th minute.

PARKHEAD THRASHED
Stefan Scepovic had a goal controversially chopped off for offside in the 81st minute before fellow substitute Leigh Griffiths pulled one back for Celtic six minutes later and then hit the post in stoppage time.

United survived to close to within four points of the Hoops at the top of the table and gain some revenge for their 6-1 thrashing at Parkhead in August.

“We lost the game because we weren’t effective enough. It’s a challenge we’ve faced in the last three or four games where we’ve created a lot of chances but don’t take them,” a despondent Celtic manager Ronny Deila said.

“We gave away some very stupid goals and that’s something we need to do something on.” United manager Jackie McNamara was pleased with the commitment of his players.

“I’m delighted and I think the players gave everything they had,” McNamara said.

“We rode our luck and Celtic put us under a lot of pressure and we had a bit of nervy finish when Griffiths got the goal but you need a bit of luck when you’re playing against Celtic.”

Deila had been in the rare position of naming an unchanged side for the match at Tannadice while United made three changes from the side that lost to Aberdeen.

SUPERB SAVE
A trip on Celtic captain Scott Brown earned Ciftci a booking within the first 30 seconds but the Turkish striker soon atoned for his recklessness when he fired United in front in the fifth minute.

Armstrong’s pass was diverted into his path by a Hoops defender and Ciftci held off the challenge of Efe Ambrose before chipping an angled shot beyond Craig Gordon.

Celtic responded with Stefan Johansen firing a low shot that got stuck between the legs of United ‘keeper Radoslaw Cierzniak.

Celtic stopper Gordon then had to be alert to make a superb one-handed save to deny a fierce strike from Conor Townsend.

The Hoops were appealing for a penalty on the half hour mark when Guidetti went down under a robust shoulder challenge from Sean Dillon but the referee ignored their pleas.

Some frantic defending from United stopped Celtic from equalising in the 38th minute. The ball crashed off the crossbar after Cierzniak’s punch out came off Nir Biton’s back and Virgil van Dijk’s follow-up header was then cleared off the line.

WONDERFUL FINISH
The woodwork again denied Celtic an equaliser in the 53rd minute when Anthony Stoke’s cross deflected off the head of Dillon and looped over Cierzniak before striking the base of the far post, with Forrest flashing the rebound wide.

Celtic brought on forwards Kris Common and Scepovic as they chased an equaliser but it was the home fans who were celebrating again in the 65th minute as Armstrong added a superb second goal for United.

Ciftci used his strength to outmuscle Emilio Izaguirre on the byline before clipping a wonderful cross to the unmarked Armstrong at the back post for the midfielder whose header hit off Gordon on its way into the net.

The Hoops had a goal controversially chopped off for offside in the 81st minute when Scepovic fired past Cierzniak with the Serbian striker looking to be played on by Blair Spittal.

A wonderful finish from Griffiths through the legs of Cierzniak pulled one back in the 87th minute before the striker struck the post with a fierce effort in stoppage time.