Who’ll come out on top in the Tyne-Wear Derby?

Sunderland fans downing their pints before today’s Tyne-Wear Derby will fall into two categories glass half-full and glass half-empty.

Those with a naturally optimistic outlook will take heart from the fact that their team has been beaten only four times this season.

The more pessimistic will look at the two single wins in 16 tries and worry about another relegation battle.

Ten draws mean it’s been pretty dull watching Gus Poyet’s team this season.

Five of those draws have been goalless and in the Premier League there have been just 14 goals to celebrate.

Today, though, even the half-empty fans are buoyant. They are playing Newcastle and a win would give the club an all-time record four consecutive victories against their fiercest rivals.

Not only that, but the Magpies have goalkeeper problems. Their two first-choices are injured and 21-year-old replacement Jak Alnwick has looked raw and vulnerable.

In the last two seasons, Sunderland have pitched up at St James’ Park with the prospect of losing their Premier League status looming large.

On each occasion they’ve left with a comprehensive 3-0 victory first under Paolo Di Canio, then under Poyet that kick-started successful survival battles.

Newcastle are just as keen to ensure no such record is set. They’ve got seven more points than Sunderland, even though they’ve lost more matches, and would like to extend that margin.

Unlike Sunderland, the Magpies have worked out a way to turn draws into victories. All but one of their six wins has been by the odd goal.

Alan Pardew has something that Poyet doesn’t have a goal threat.

Papiss Cisse is a natural predator and in Ayoze Perez, Sammy Ameobi and Yoan Gouffran there’s blistering pace in attacking positions.

Sunderland have neither pace nor the ability to finish clinically.

Jozy Altidore took stick over his comical attempt to turn in a chance against West Ham and the American has scored just once in 40 Premier League outings.

Connor Wickham, who’s just signed a new contract, has eight in 57 for the club, while Steven Fletcher has only seven in his last 30.

Poyet has made considerable improvements to the way his team defends. Ignore the eight conceded at Southampton, and they’ve let in an average of less than one per match.

They’ve cut down on the own goals and catastrophic errors and look solid enough.

The Uruguayan has made signing a goalscorer in January his priority. He knows that improved defending alone will not keep them out of trouble.

That’s why he’s been telling everyone he’s not responsible for the club’s recruitment strategy. He wants the fans to know that if they don’t buy a striker, it’s not down to him.

While Sunderland’s season has been unremittingly grey, Newcastle’s has appropriately been much more black and white.

No wins in the first seven games “Pardew Out” banners, protests against the Board, general gloom and doom.

Five wins in the next five fans ecstatic, pride restored, Pardew voted Manager of the Month.

They then ended Chelsea’s 23-game unbeaten record but this week took a hammering from Arsenal and another from Tottenham in the Capital One Cup.

Their season has been as mediocre as Sunderland’s it’s just been a more interesting ride getting there!

Pardew has shown great character to work under intense external pressure and his players responded to the siege mentality he’s nurtured.

He’s been in remission as far as the clamour to have him ousted is concerned, but he is just a derby day defeat away from it all starting up again.

The defeat at Spurs destroyed yet another Wembley dream. Polls indicated that fans would rather have won that game than today’s because they’re so desperate for just a taste of silverware.

They had higher hopes than usual because Newcastle looked to be taking the cups more seriously.

Raised hopes, though, bring increased disappointment.

Whatever he achieves at Newcastle, Pardew will always be viewed as a puppet of Mike Ashley’s unpopular regime.

Fans suspect that financial stability is the extent of Ashley’s ambitions and that the manager is just happy to please.

So when Newcastle win, Pardew gets little credit. When they lose, he gets it in the neck.

They will never be on his side. The best he can do is keep them off his back.