Newcastle United have had a habit of picking up injuries at the wrong time.





Last season, Rolando Aarons and Siem De Jong hardly featured - Aarons' injury was particularly hard to take given his excellent performance against Manchester City. Toon fans thought he was starting to develop into an excellent player, and he was struck down.

De Jong arrived at the club with a strong reputation and on the back of a successful season with Dutch club Ajax, but he too hardly featured due to a series of injuries.





Steven Taylor, as well, spent his customary time on the side lines when the club was going through a crisis of confidence in the middle of their defence.





However, this season, and just before the most crucial part of the season, many of Newcastle's injured players are finding form or fitness at just the right time.





Earlier in the day, Magpies assistant head coach Paul Simpson told was reported by ​The Mag as saying: " Going from the weekend, which normally happens when you have a nice victory, we haven’t got anybody reporting injuries.





“Everybody got trained, delighted that Paul Dummett was able to get 60 minutes, which was always the plan. That plan worked fantastic and the fact Massadio Haidara was able to get the next part of the game."





Injures at the back have become a theme for Newcastle this season, with youngster Kevin Mbabu thrown in at the deep end against Chelsea when both Haidara and Dummett were ruled out with injury.





True to form, he got injured in the next game and has been out every since, but Simpson expects him to be available for the game.





"Kevin Mbabu and Rolando Aarons joined in training today (Tuesday), so they will have a full week of training leading up to Sunday," he continued.

With a nearly full compliment of players, the Magpies are in a much better situation than Sunderland to win the derby - despite recent history. The Black Cats are in a unique position this season of being the only side not to win a game.





With the Tyneside club picking up an empathic win against Norwich City on Sunday, there has never been a better time to take on their rivals.