How Newcastle United played major role in Plymouth draw at Sunderland

With Storm Eowyn ripping through the country at the end of last week, Plymouth boss Miron Muslic decided to arrange for his squad to travel to North-East on Thursday ahead of their weekend game.

That meant they needed somewhere to base themselves and train in the build-up to the game, and his close relationship with Newcastle sporting director Paul Mitchell meant he was able to call in a favour from the Magpies.

Muslic’s time in Austrian football brought him into regular contact with Mitchell, who worked at FC Liefering and Red Bull Salzburg, and Plymouth trained at Newcastle’s Darsley Park base prior to claiming a draw with Sunderland.

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Newcastle were happy to help Muslic out, with one condition – that his side did not lose at the Stadium of Light.

“We came up a day early,” explained the Plymouth boss, whose side claimed a point thanks to a 90th-minute equaliser from Nathaniel Ogbeta. “I used my contacts, I know Paul Mitchell at Newcastle United, and we used the training facilities there.

“They gave us everything we needed so we actually used this storm to work on the pitch and we also stayed together for two days. We could do some tactical work, some video analysis, but also just get to know each other a bit more.

“In the end, a possible disadvantage turned into an advantage for us. The only thing they told me was that we cannot lose the game, so I have kept my word to them.”

Plymouth went into yesterday’s game off the back of a 5-0 home thrashing at the hands of Burnley in midweek, but Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris always felt the Championship’s bottom club could be wounded animals as they lined up on Wearside.

“When you concede five goals in the first half at home, then you will expect to have a reaction,” said Le Bris. “Short block, very compact, very aggressive with no spaces to use.

“If the team struggles against this block, it then gives positive vibes because you know that there will be an opportunity in a game of 100 minutes. It was not an unusual scenario, it's common. But we didn't face it properly.”

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