Welcome back, guys! England No.1 Jordan Pickford leads a host of familiar faces in town for Sunderland's FA Cup Tyne-Wear derby with Newcastle… as Fabio Borini and Jermain Defoe head to the Stadium of Light
- Sunderland versus Newcastle in the FA Cup is the hottest ticket in town this week
- Former players on both sides made sure they got one so they could be there
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Once drawn against bitter rivals Newcastle in the FA Cup, Sunderland quickly became the hottest ticket in town.
As fans searched for tickets, it appears a number of former Sunderland and Newcastle players made sure to soak up the atmosphere at the Stadium of Light.
England No. 1 Jordan Pickford, who rose to fame at Sunderland, was spotted in the crowd, while the hosts' former striker Fabio Borini flew in for the match.
Meanwhile, former Newcastle defender Ryan Taylor made the trip with the away fans and was reportedly in the 6,000-strong away match.
It is the first time in almost eight years that these two old rivals have clashed.
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Borini's return in particular brings back great memories for Sunderland fans of this match of yesteryear.
The Italian striker scored the winner at the Stadium of Light in a 2-1 victory in 2013.
Then, to further his status as a cult hero, Borini scored a penalty en route to Sunderland's 3–0 win at St James' Park later that season.
More to follow.