Getting minutes under the belts of his players was far more important to Sam Allardyce than beating Newcastle United 6-0 behind closed doors.
The North East rivals played a friendly at the Stadium of Light on Wednesday, which the hosts won comfortably .
Duncan Watmore scored a hat-trick for Sunderland.
But Allardyce was more pleased to see his fringe players and new signings get valuable time on the field than he was about the result.
“The result was nothing,” he insisted. “If we had lost 6-0, it wouldn’t have mattered to me whatsoever.
“All that mattered was how the players played and got through 90 minutes of a quality, high-tempo game at the Stadium of Light.
“That’s very difficult to achieve with our geographical position. In this area, there’s only Middlesbrough and Newcastle who can provide a game of that level.
“That’s why me and Steve (McClaren, Newcastle’s manager) were very grateful to put the game on.
“With no game this weekend, playing those players and giving them a feel with who they’ll play with and getting some match practice was very important to us.”
Jan Kirchhoff and Dame N’Doye both played in the friendly, but Lamine Kone’s £5m transfer from Lorient was only completed afterwards.
Both sides included seven players who had been involved in their 18-man matchday squad at the weekend.
2 Everton 23 6 11 6 40 34 29 6
13 Chelsea 23 7 7 9 32 34 28 -2
14 West Bromwich A 23 7 7 9 22 30 28 -8
15 Swansea City 23 6 7 10 22 31 25 -9
16 Bournemouth 23 6 7 10 27 38 25 -11
17 Norwich City 23 6 5 12 28 43 23 -15
18 Newcastle United 23 5 6 12 25 41 21 -16
19 Sunderland 23 5 4 14 28 46 19 -18
20 Aston Villa 23 2 7 14 18 38 13 -20
NEWCASTLE UNITED FC
Fri 10th July
Gateshead FC 0 Newcastle Utd 1 (Cisse pen)
(First half): Darlow, Janmaat, Haidara, Lascelles, Williamson, Anita, Colback, Gouffran, Cisse, Sissoko, De Jong. (Second half): Woodman, Bigirimana, Satka, Good, Ferguson, Tiote, Obertan, Aarons, Perez, Armstrong, Riviere.
Tue 14th July
Club Atlas (MEX) 2 Newcastle Utd 1 (Sissoko)
Krul (Darlow 46); Janmaat (Bigirimana 72), Williamson, Lascelles, Haidara (Ferguson 72); Anita, Colback; Sissoko (Obertan 72), de Jong (Perez 72), Gouffran (Aarons 72); Cisse (Armstrong 72).
Sat 18th July
Sacramento Republic FC (USA) 0 Newcastle Utd 1 (og)
Krul (Woodman 46), Janmaat, Williamson, Lascelles (Taylor 46), Haïdara, Anita, Colback, Sissoko, Obertan (Aarons 69), de Jong (Perez 69), Cissé (Wijnaldum 69).
Tue 21st July
Portland Timbers (USA) 4 Newcastle Utd 3 (Wijnaldum, Aarons 2)
Darlow (Woodman 46), Bigirimana, Satka, Ferguson, Aarons; Abeid (Anita 65), Wijnaldum (Janmaat 46), Gouffran (De Jong 76), Sissoko (Obertan 46), Ayoze, Cisse (Armstrong 46).
Sun 26th July
Sheffield United 2 Newcastle Utd 2 (Wijnaldum, de Jong)
Krul, Janmaat, Williamson, Taylor (Lascelles 69), Haïdara, Anita (Obertan 59), Colback, Sissoko (Abeid 80), Wijnaldum (De Jong 73), Perez (Aarons 45), Cissé (Armstrong 80)
Wed 29th July
York City 2 Newcastle Utd 1 (Perez)
Darlow (Elliot); Bigirimana, Lascelles, Satka, Ferguson; Abeid, Gouffran; Aarons (Kemen 59), De Jong, Perez; Mitrovic (Suddick 70)
Sat 1st August
Newcastle Utd 0 Borussia Mönchengladbach 1
Krul, Janmaat (Mbemba 62), Williamson, Taylor, Haïdara, Anita (De Jong 75), Colback, Sissoko (Perez 81), Obertan (Aarons 62), Wijnaldum, Cissé (Mitrovic 62).
Sunday August 9
NEWCASTLE UTD 2 SOUTHAMPTON 2 (Cisse, Wijnaldum)
Krul, Janmaat, Mbemba, Coloccini, Haidara; Colback, Anita (Tiote, 67); Sissoko, Wijnaldum (De Jong, 81), Obertan; Cisse (Mitrovic, 75). Subs not used: Darlow, Taylor, Aarons, Perez.
Saturday August 15
SWANSEA CITY 2 NEWCASTLE UTD 0
Krul, Janmaat, Mbemba, Coloccini, Haidara, Anita, Colback, Sissoko (45' Taylor), Wijnaldum, Obertan (82' Mitrovic), Cisse (54' Aarons). Subs: Williamson, Perez, Tiote, Darlow
Saturday August 22
MANCHESTER UTD 0 NEWCASTLE UTD 0
Krul, Mbemba, Taylor, Coloccini, Haidara, Anita, Colback, Perez (78' Tiote), Wijnaldum, Obertan (69' Thauvin), Mitrovic (88' Cisse).
Subs: Williamson, de Jong, Aarons, Darlow
Tuesday August 26
NEWCASTLE UTD 4 NORTHAMPTON TOWN 1 (Thauvin, Janmaat, de Jong, Williamson
Darlow, Janmaat, Lascelles, Williamson, Haidara (78' Toney), Tiote, Gouffran, Aarons, de Jong, Thauvin (65' Mitrovic), Perez (72' Colback).
Subs: Dummett, Wijnaldum, Mbemba, Elliot.
Saturday August 29
NEWCASTLE UTD 0 ARSENAL 1
Krul, Janmaat, Mbemba, Coloccini, Haidara, Anita (72' Perez), Sissoko (78' Cisse), Wijnaldum, Thauvin (87' de Jong), Mitrovic
Subs: Obertan, Tiote, Darlow, Taylor
Monday September 14
WEST HAM UTD 2 NEWCASTLE UTD 0
Krul, Janmaat, Mbemba, Coloccini, Haidara, Anita (60' de Jong), Colback, Sissoko, Wijnaldum (79' Aarons), Thauvin (60' Perez), Cisse Subs: Gouffran, Obertan, Lascelles, Darlow
Saturday September 19
NEWCASTLE UTD 1 WATFORD 2
Krul, Janmaat, Mbemba, Coloccini, Haidara (80' Aarons), Wijnaldum, Colback, Thauvin (88' Obertan), Sissoko, Perez, Cisse (45' de Jong)
Subs: Williamson, Anita, Lascelles, Elliot
Wednesday September 23
NEWCASTLE UTD 0 SHEFF WED 1 (League Cup)
Krul, Janmaat (45' Mbabu), Lascelles, Williamson, Mbemba, Anita, Wijnaldum, Thauvin (45' Perez), Sissoko, Obertan (71' Toney), de Jong
Subs: Coloccini, Gouffran, Elliot, Barlaser
Saturday September 26
NEWCASTLE UTD 2 CHELSEA 2 (Perez, Wijnaldum)
Krul, Janmaat, Mbemba, Coloccini, Mbabu, Sissoko (90+2' de Jong), Colback (54' Obertan), Anita, Wijnaldum, Perez, Mitrovic (85' Toney)
Subs: Williamson, Lascelles, Thauvin, Elliot
Saturday October 3
MANCHESTER CITY 6 NEWCASTLE UTD 1 (Mitrovic)
Krul, Janmaat, Mbemba, Coloccini, Mbabu (53' Lascelles), Sissoko (66' Tiote), Anita, Gouffran (66' Thauvin), Wijnaldum, Mitrovic, Perez
Subs: Williamson, Cisse, de Jong, Elliot
Sunday October 18
NEWCASTLE UTD 6 NORWICH 2 (Wijnaldum 4, Perez, Mitrovic)
Elliot, Janmaat, Mbemba, Coloccini, Dummett (65' Haidara), Sissoko, Tiote (45' Anita), Colback, Wijnaldum, Perez, Mitrovic (88' Cisse)
Subs: de Jong, Lascelles, Thauvin, Woodman
Sunday October 25
SUNDERLAND 3 NEWCASTLE UTD 0
Elliot, Janmaat, Mbemba, Coloccini, Dummett (78' Thauvin), Sissoko, Tiote (45' Lascelles), Colback (49' Anita), Wijnaldum, Perez, Mitrovic
Subs: Cisse, de Jong, Haidara, Woodman
Saturday October 31
NEWCASTLE UTD 0 STOKE CITY 0
Elliot, Janmaat (83' Lascelles), Mbemba, Coloccini, Dummett, Sissoko, Anita, Tiote (71' de Jong), Wijnaldum, Mitrovic, Perez
Subs: Cisse, Gouffran, Haidara, Thauvin, Woodman
Saturday November 7
BOURNEMOUTH 0 NEWCASTLE UTD (Perez)
Elliot, Janmaat, Mbemba, Coloccini, Dummett, Sissoko, Tiote, Anita (90+3' Mbabu), Wijnaldum, Mitrovic (63' Cisse), Perez (77' Thauvin)
Subs: de Jong, Gouffran, Lascelles, Woodman
Saturday November 21
NEWCASTLE UTD 0 LEICESTER CITY 3
Elliot, Janmaat, Mbemba, Coloccini, Dummett, Sissoko, Anita, Tiote (20' Thauvin), Wijnaldum, Mitrovic (62' Cisse), Perez (81' de Jong)
Subs: Gouffran, Lascelles, Woodman, Sterry
Saturday November 28
CRYSTAL PALACE 5 NEWCASTLE UTD 1 (Cisse)
Elliot, Janmaat, Mbemba, Coloccini, Dummett, Colback (70' de Jong), Anita, Sissoko, Perez (45' Lascelles), Wijnaldum (70' Gouffran), Cisse
Subs: Thauvin, Darlow, Sterry, Mitrovic
Sunday December 6
NEWCASTLE UTD 2 LIVERPOOL 0 (Skrtel og, Wijnaldum)
Elliot, Janmaat, Coloccini, Mbemba, Dummett, Sissoko, Colback (77' Gouffran), Anita, Wijnaldum, de Jong (68' Perez), Cisse (82' Thauvin)
Subs: Darlow, Sterry, Mbabu, Mitrovic
Sunday December 14
TOTTENHAM HOT 1 NEWCASTLE UTD 2 (Mitrovic, Perez)
Elliot, Janmaat, Coloccini, Mbemba, Dummett, Sissoko, Colback, Anita (91' Goufran), Wijnaldum, de Jong (63' Perez), Cisse (72' Mitrovic)
Subs: Darlow, Sterry, Mbabu, Thauvin
Saturday December 19
NEWCASTLE UTD 1 ASTON VILLA 1 (Coloccini)
Elliot, Janmaat, Mbemba, Coloccini, Dummett, Sissoko, Anita (71' Thauvin), Colback, Wijnaldum, de Jong (59' Perez), Cisse (33' Mitrovic)
Subs: Gouffran, Tiote, Darlow, Mbabu
Saturday December 26
NEWCASTLE UTD 0 EVERTON 1
Elliot, Janmaat, Mbemba, Coloccini, Dummett, Sissoko, Anita, Colback, Wijnaldum, Perez (87' Thauvin), Mitrovic
Subs: de Jong, Gouffran, Tiote, Darlow, Mbabu, Toney
Monday December 28
WEST BROM 1 NEWCASTLE UTD 0
Darlow, Janmaat, Mbemba, Coloccini, Dummett, Colback (86' Thauvin), Anita (27' Tiote), Sissoko, Perez (72' de Jong), Wijnaldum, Mitrovic
Subs: Gouffran, Lascelles, Mbabu, Elliot
Saturday January 2 2016
ARSENAL 1 NEWCASTLE UTD 0
Elliot, Janmaat, Mbemba, Coloccini, Dummett, Sissoko, Tiote (87' de Jong), Colback (79' Thauvin), Wijnaldum, Perez, Mitrovic
Subs: Gouffran, Lascelles, Darlow, Toney, Mbabu
Saturday January 9 2016
FA Cup - WATFORD 1 NEWCASTLE UTD 0
Elliot, Mbemba, Coloccini (45' Lascelles), Dummett, Janmaat, Sissoko, Tiote (82' de Jong), Wijnaldum, Mbabu (52' Thauvin), Perez, Mitrovic
Subs: Gouffran, Darlow, Toney, Sterry
Tuesday January 12
NEWCASTLE UTD 3 MAN UTD 3 (Wijnaldum, Mitrovic (pen), Dummett)
Elliot, Janmaat, Mbemba, Coloccini, Dummett, Tiote (85' Toney), Colback (81' Gouffran), Sissoko, Wijnaldum, Perez (90+2' de Jong), Mitrovic
Subs: Lascelles, Darlow, Marveaux, Sterry
Saturday January 16
NEWCASTLE UTD 2 WEST HAM UTD 1 (Perez, Wijnaldum)
Elliot, Janmaat, Mbemba, Coloccini, Dummett (57' Saivet), Colback, Shelvey, Sissoko, Wijnaldum, Perez (80' Gouffran), Mitrovic (90+5' Lascelles)
Subs: Aarons, Darlow, Riviere, Toney
Saturday January 23
WATFORD 2 NEWCASTLE UTD 1
Elliot, Lascelles, Coloccini (88' Riviere), Mbemba, Janmaat, Shelvey, Saivet (59' Gouffran), Aarons (59' Perez), Sissoko, Wijnaldum, Mitrovic
Subs: Thauvin, Darlow, Taylor, Marveaux
Wednesday February 3
19:45 Everton v Newcastle United
Saturday February 6
15:00 Newcastle United v West Brom
Saturday February 13
17:30 Chelsea v Newcastle United