GUS POYET has turned up the heat ahead of Sunday’s 151st Tyne-Wear derby by insisting that Sunderland are just as big a club as rivals Newcastle United – even if the wider view nationally might be different.

Poyet will lead his team in to the hostile surroundings of St James’ Park tomorrow afternoon looking to claim a third win in a row over the Magpies since taking over the Black Cats 14 months ago.

The back-to-back victories, following on from the first 3-0 win under Paolo Di Canio’s management in April last year, has left Newcastle fans desperate for an end to the run of defeats.

Sunderland’s improved fortunes in derby fixtures have given Wearside a huge lift, but Poyet thinks that a perception that Sunderland is the smaller of the two clubs is wrong.

The former Chelsea and Tottenham forward said: “I think from the outside for some reason it looks like Newcastle is apparently bigger than Sunderland, but when you are here there is not that difference.

“I think in football we base what is bigger on the capacity of the stadium, or how much noise it can make, or how many trophies you have won, or when you won the last one. You pick and choose depending on your club.

“You see an area, the North-East, with two clubs who are both desperate to win things. The manager that can produce that is going to be an absolute hero. They are looking to change history and it is a good challenge for those of us from outside.

“I really enjoyed playing against Newcastle at St James’ Park and yet I had a terrible game at the Stadium of Light. It was the worst half-time of my life, 4-0, so one place is as difficult as the other.

“I need to be very respectful when we talk about signings because Sunderland had (Niall) Quinn and (Kevin) Phillips. Newcastle had (Alan) Shearer, (Michael) Owen, (Les) Ferdinand, (David) Ginola, so it looked like they were closer to the top than Sunderland. But I would be very disappointed if I was a Sunderland or a Newcastle fan and to have gone so many years without winning something.”

In fact, on the basis of last winning a trophy that honour is Sunderland’s by winning the FA Cup in 1973; four years after Newcastle won the Fairs Cup and 18 years after winning the FA Cup at Wembley.

For football fans in the North-East, however, it is obvious just how big an occasion it is whenever the two Tyne & Wear rivals go head-to-head, which has prompted the likes of Roy Keane and Alan Pardew to both suggest it is the biggest derby in the country.

Poyet said: “I agree, because you have to live it to know it. If you had said to me a year and a half ago this was the biggest one I would have said, yeah, right (sarcastically).

“It is best explained by this: derbies are usually played between two teams from the same city, or two big teams from different cities far apart. But we are next to each other, we are connected.

“We are two different cities but everything is so close and that’s why it is special, it is unique. There is a line in Gateshead where this side is red and white and then the other side of the road it is the other team. That is so close, so unique. The passion is so special and that’s one of the reasons.

“It’s coming up now, the big game - and the players know there is something extra on this. The win there last season was the greatest feeling to have as a manager. You go away from home at your biggest rivals and you play one of your best games and you win, that is something very special as a manager.”

It was after the 3-0 win at St James’ in February when Poyet emerged from the tunnel after the stadium had emptied to do his media interviews. The away fans were still high in the Leazes End and he celebrated in front of them.

He said: “We were on fire that month. It felt so nice. We were never under any kind of pressure and that surprised me the most. Liam Bridcutt played like he has been here forever. It was key moments.

“I realised what we had done half an hour after the game and I was being interviewed by reporters on the pitch. It was very personal. Our fans were the only ones in the ground. I punched the air then, but didn’t do it beforehand because I was very respectful.”

The third goalscorer that afternoon was Jack Colback, who will instead be lining up for Newcastle tomorrow after his summer switch as a free agent to Tyneside. He is sure to be given a rough ride by Sunderland fans.

But Poyet will be able to call on Lee Cattermole – who missed out on last season’s win on Tyneside – to try to curb any Colback threat and he is confident that his man will keep his head and stay focused on his role by continuing in the sort of form which has led to England talk.

The Sunderland boss said: “Lee has changed a lot. This time last year I was being asked many times about him and how many red cards he will get. This year I’ve not been asked once. We are a different team.

“We, and Lee, don’t do as many dangerous tackles and he controls his game much better. We normally try to motivate the players but they don’t need any for this game. That is the character of a Steven Taylor or a Cattermole. But it is part of the game. If it wasn’t for those types on the pitch it would all be a little too soft.”