Dive Ba! Chelsea striker's cheating cost me place in the North-East derby

Sunderland midfielder Craig Gardner has accused former Newcastle striker Demba Ba of play-acting after being ruled out of Sunday's Tyne-Wear derby.



The 26-year-old was booked for the 10th time this season for a challenge on the Chelsea striker during the Black Cats' 2-1 Barclays Premier League defeat at Stamford Bridge at the weekend, and will now serve a two-match ban.

Scroll down to watch the highlights from Sunday's game at Stamford Bridge

Accused: Sunderland star Craig Gardner is angry with Chelsea's Demba Ba, saying he forced the booking that has seen him suspended for this weekend's Tyne-Wear derby

Yellow peril: Gardner claims it was a fair tackle - but the referee felt otherwise and cautioned him

However, while television pundits voiced the opinion after the game that he was perhaps fortunate not to receive a red card for his tackle, Gardner has insisted he should not even have been cautioned by referee Neil Swarbrick.



The former Birmingham man, who was playing his first game in front of new boss Paolo di Canio, told the Journal: 'It's not the start that I wanted, but it's not a yellow card.



'It was a fair tackle. He's just rolled around and forced the booking.



'I'll be involved on the training pitch, I'll be in the tunnel before the game, geeing every one of our lads up.



'I can assure the fans I'll get the team up for it, I'll be right behind every player on Sunday.



'It's football, but there we are.'



Ba failed to re-appear after the break as Chelsea overturned a 1-0 deficit with the help of Matt Kilgallon's own goal and Branislav Ivanovic's fortuitous winner.



The defeat means Sunderland are without a win in nine league games and have taken just three points from the last 27 on offer to slip deep into relegation trouble ahead of their visit to St James' Park, where a win for Newcastle would all but end the Magpies' own fears of being dragged into the scrap at the foot of the table.