"It goes without saying that I want to play at Sunderland," he told the Journal.
"I want to be involved every week, but this is the biggest fixture of the season for Newcastle and nobody wants to miss it.
"If you add the fact that we desperately need all three points to stay in touch at the top of the table, then it's hard to get away from the importance of the game.
"If we can combine a sixth successive win with victory over Sunderland it will be a case of double delight for our fans and the players."