Gus Poyet keen to repeat old trick as scourge of Newcastle United in debut derby for Sunderland Poyet may have stopped playing, but he has not halted hurting Newcastle. As the manager of Brighton and Hove Albion, Poyet shocked Newcastle not once, but twice in the FA Cup, knocking them out in 2012 and last season. Poyet will need those happy memories, as his present-day issues at Sunderland are decidedly gloomier. The thrashing at Swansea City last weekend, his first game in charge, shone a harsh light on the scale of his task on Wearside, but there is nothing like victory in a local skirmish to make an impression on a new audience. Paolo di Canio underlined that point by crushing Newcastle 3-0 at St James" Park in his second game in charge - a result that still has Wearsiders gloating - and while the Italian's impact proved short-lived, a similar result today would do Poyet no harm. "I saw the game last season and two of the goals Sunderland scored were unbelievable," Poyet said. The whole game changed because of them. We haven't spoken about it this week. There are too many new players here. What we have tried to do is make them understand the importance of this game. I'm sure the players who played in that game have talked about it and that is good. Poyet has pleaded for supporters to "help him" lift a bedraggled group of players who are still getting to know their third manager this year. He would have liked Northumbria Police to do the same. "If I had my way, and it's not possible because of the police, is for Newcastle to get to the stadium as late as possible so they can feel the [hostility] from the people around them," he said. That is not possible for safety reasons, but sometimes, when you come into the stadium and you see what it means to the people, it can make you nervous. Newcastle may be favourites on Sunday, but they will also be feeling the pressure. The defeat back in April, just three days after they had lost to Benfica in the quarter-final of the Europa League, did so much damage it almost relegated them to the Championship. It caused rows in the dressing room and sparked calls for manager Alan Pardew to be sacked. That is what a derby defeat can do, even to someone who was named Manager of the Year less than 12 months earlier. "This team is a lot better than the one he has faced before," said Pardew, referring to the weakened sides that were beaten in the FA Cup. Last time we faced Sunderland, circumstances worked against us with the quarter final against Benfica on the Thursday. Sunderland are underdogs, but my only real thought is that brings a bit of added pressure because our players will feel that. All we can do is focus on the performance. I think the team is in decent shape if I'm honest. Why the Toon fears Poyet Sep 1997 Scores a late winner in a game at Stamford Bridge Mar 2000 Another winner, this time at St James" Park Apr 2000 Nets both goals in Chelsea's FA Cup semi-final win over the Tynesiders at Wembley Jan 2001 Another goal, this time in a 3-1 victory for Chelsea at Stamford Bridge Oct 2001 Having moved to Tottenham, Poyet scores in a 2-0 win at St James Jan 2012 Now a manager, Poyet's unfancied Brighton beat Newcastle 1-0 in the FA Cup fourth round Jan 2013 Another Cup win with Brighton, this time 2-0 in round three