A change for Sunderland as Liam Bridcutt comes on for Lee Cattermole.

Alan Pardew responds with Papiss Cisse replacing Cheick Tiote.

The momentum is with Newcastle at the moment.

Newcastle are building nicely and it is Adam Armstrong who is finding holes in the Sunderland defence.

The teenager flicks a shot straight at Costel Pantilimon from Sammy Ameobi's near-post cross and then shots into the goalkeeper's shins when he would have been better to square to Moussa Sissoko.

Great movement though.

Mathew Brown: Fletcher is too good for Sunderland. Great hold up play

Neil Leverett: Pantilimon, now he has a starting place is starting to exude the sort of confidence of a thibaut courtois. Beast.

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There is the first cruncher of the second half. John O'Shea clatters into a tackle, getting all of the man and very little of the ball. Into the book he goes.

Newcastle cheers stick in Gallowgate throats.

Image source, Getty Images

Sammy Ameobi looks like he served up the opening goal on a platter for Moussa Sissoko with a sliderule low cross into the Frenchman's path, but Wes Brown gets tickle of touch to just divert it away as Sissoko prepares to pull the trigger.

Both managers seems to have whispered some cooling words to their men at half-time. There hasn't been any of those bone-shuddering challenges in the second half so far.

Yousuf Ali: It doesn't take a genius to figure that Sunderland desperately needs a clinical striker in January, otherwise it's relegation

Abhishek: Big games are decided on small moments. Gomez's chance should have been put in

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Image source, PA

Costel Pantilimon needed every bit of his six foot eight inch to get to that. Ayoze Perez's first-time curler from the edge of the box looked destined for the top corner of the Sunderland goal before the Romanian got a big paw to it. Superb save.

Adam Johnson crosses the pitch to wrap his left foot around a free-kick from out on the right. His delivery is punched clear by Jak Alnwick, but only to the edge of the box, and Sebastian Coates diverts a header over the top as the ball is played back in. Shaky.

Steve Harper
Hull City goalkeeper on BBC Radio 5 live

"Alan Pardew needed to do something because Sunderland should have scored, which has become a common theme for today. Armstrong instead of Cisse surprises me. I was expected to see the latter because he provides a goal threat."

Yoan Gouffran is heading off and Adam Armstrong, a member of England's under-17 European Championships-winning side, is on in his place.

Armstrong has gone up front with Ayoze Perez in the hole behind and Moussa Sissoko out to the right wing.

Armstrong takes the local-lad contingent up to six for Newcastle.

Steven Taylor, smeared in grease and swelling already around his eye, is back on the field to a great cheer.

Lee Cattermole decides that this is a good time to pick up his customary derby-day yellow card, cynically bringing down Ayoze Perez as the Newcastle forward skips beyond him.

Naveed Afzal: That was incredibly good and BRAVE defending by Taylor. It's the equivalent of a wonder goal IMO

Matt Blazey: Taylor running to the changing room to have stitches on his face so he can continue playing. Other footballers please take note

Daniel Woodley: That is absolutely phenomenal defending from Taylor! A classic example of taking one for the team

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Has to be! Somehow though it isn't!

Jordi Gomez secures his place on the blooper reel of shame as he inexplicably side-foots over the top with a huge slice of goal to aim at from eight yards out.

Steven Fletcher won't be best pleased either after setting his Sunderland team-mate up with fine work.

Image source, Getty Images

Steven Taylor has warrior blood. Which is just as well as he tends to be in the wars. The Newcastle defender jogs off for further treatment, Paul Dummett filling in at centre-back and Jack Colback in at left-back.

Image source, Getty Images

That has to hurt. Steven Taylor defends magnificently, heading away from under his own crossbar just as Steven Fletcher is poised to turn in a Connor Wickham cross.

After making his clearance though the defender cracks his head on the post. There is some claret, but the physio is on quickly to patch him up and Taylor is up and standing.

The atmosphere is a little subdued as people make their way back to their seats at St James' and Daryl Janmaat doesn't give the crowd anything to get excited about as he wastes a good position on the right with a poor cross.

I'm not sure he is getting any closer, but Connor Wickham isn't hiding. The Sunderland striker's fifth effort of the match is a flier, clearing the crossbar by plenty as Jak Alnwick waves it on its way.

Steven Fletcher and Sebastian Larsson get in a quick bit of PR, chatting away with referee Anthony Taylor before kicking off the second half.