Sunderland went into the game having not won a Premier League fixture in six attempts, while Newcastle's capitulation against Portsmouth at St James' Park the previous week had set the alarm bells ringing.
SUNDERLAND 1 NEWCASTLE UTD 1
Mackems Have Not Beaten Mags On Home Soil In 28 Years!
Sunderland went into the game having not won a Premier League fixture in six attempts, while Newcastle's capitulation against Portsmouth at St James' Park the previous week had set the alarm bells ringing.
SUNDERLAND 1 NEWCASTLE UTD 1
SUNDERLAND: Gordon, McShane, Nosworthy (Collins 25),Higginbotham, Harte, Edwards, Leadbitter, Etuhu,Wallace (Stokes 72), Chopra, Jones.
Subs Not Used: Ward, Miller, Connolly.
NEWCASTLE: Harper, Taylor, Faye (Beye 61), Rozehnal, N'Zogbia,Milner, Smith, Barton, Emre (Geremi 88), Owen (Martins 83),Viduka.
Subs Not Used: Forster, Jose Enrique.
Att: 47,701
Danny Higginbotham's first goal in a red and white shirt had given the home side alead seven minutes after the break as they looked to end a run of five successive defeats by their closest rivals.
However, Milner played a neat one-two with Joey Barton before drilling a 65th-minute shot across Craig Gordon and inside the far post to ensure the spoils were shared.
There was almost a twist in the tail when former Magpie Michael Chopra headed an Ian Harte cross against the bar with just eight minutes remaining, but Roy Keane's men had to settle for a point on a day when they at least restored a measure of pride.
MAGS v MACKEMS ... PREMIERSHIP HISTORY ...
2007/2008 Sun 20 Apr Newcastle Utd. 2 - 0 Sunderland Premier League
Sat 10 Nov Sunderland 1 - 1 Newcastle Utd. Premier League
2005/2006 Mon 17 Apr Sunderland 1 - 4 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
Sun 23 Oct Newcastle Utd. 3 - 2 Sunderland Premiership
2002/2003 Sat 26 Apr Sunderland 0 - 1 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
Sat 21 Sep Newcastle Utd. 2 - 0 Sunderland Premiership
2001/2002 Sun 24 Feb Sunderland 0 - 1 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
Sun 26 Aug Newcastle Utd. 1 - 1 Sunderland Premiership
2000/2001 Sat 21 Apr Sunderland 1 - 1 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
Sat 18 Nov Newcastle Utd. 1 - 2 Sunderland Premiership
1999/2000 Sat 05 Feb Sunderland 2 - 2 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
Wed 25 Aug Newcastle Utd. 1 - 2 Sunderland Premiership
1996/1997 Sat 05 Apr Newcastle Utd. 1 - 1 Sunderland Premiership
Wed 04 Sep Sunderland 1 - 2 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
NEWCASTLE'S SEASON SO FAR:
NEWCASTLE UTD 2 MAN CITY 2 (Ameobi, Dunn og)
Given, Beye, Taylor, Coloccini, Bassong, Geremi, Guthrie, Butt, Duff, Martins (N'Zogbia 72), Ameobi (Carroll 79).Subs Not Used: Harper, Cacapa, Jose Enrique, Xisco, Edgar.
EVERTON 2 NEWCASTLE UTD 2 (Taylor, Duff)
Given, Taylor, Coloccini, Cacapa,Jose Enrique (Bassong 39), Geremi (Ameobi 75), Butt, Guthrie,N'Zogbia, Owen, Duff.
Subs Not Used: Harper, Xisco, Edgar, Doninger, Donaldson.
NEWCASTLE UTD 1 BLACKBURN R 2 (Owen pen)
Given, Bassong, Taylor, Coloccini, Cacapa, Geremi (Ameobi 71), Butt, Duff, N'Zogbia (Edgar 82), Xisco, Owen.
Subs Not Used: Harper, Tozer, Doninger, Donaldson, Ranger.
(Carling Cup)NEWCASTLE UTD 1 TOTTENHAM HOT 2 (Owen)Given, Geremi, Taylor, Coloccini, Bassong,Cacapa (Edgar 72), Butt, N'Zogbia, Owen, Duff (Xisco 72),Martins.
Subs Not Used: Harper, Ameobi, Tozer, Doninger, Donaldson.
WEST HAM UTD 3 NEWCASTLE UTD 1 (Owen)
Given, Edgar (Bassong 59), Taylor, Coloccini,N'Zogbia, Geremi, Cacapa (Gonzalez 81), Butt, Duff, Owen, Xisco.
Subs Not Used: Harper, Ameobi, Tozer, Doninger, Donaldson.
NEWCASTLE UTD 1 HULL CITY 2 (Xisco)
Given, Edgar (Bassong 68), Taylor, Coloccini,N'Zogbia, Geremi, Butt, Guthrie, Xisco, Owen,Ameobi (Gonzalez 61).
Subs Not Used: Harper, Cacapa, Danquah, Doninger, Donaldson.
ARSENAL 3 NEWCASTLE UTD 0
Given, Coloccini, Jose Enrique (Bassong 44), Taylor,Gutierrez (Barton 89), Guthrie, Butt, Beye (Edgar 89),N'Zogbia, Owen, Ameobi.
Subs Not Used: Harper, Tozer, Donaldson, Ranger.
(Carling Cup) COVENTRY CITY 2 NEWCASTLE UTD 3 AET (Dann og, Milner, Owen)Given, Beye, Coloccini, Bassong, Jose Enrique,Milner, Geremi (Owen 75), Butt, Guthrie, N'Zogbia, Gutierrez.
Subs Not Used: Harper, Taylor, Edgar, Tozer, Donaldson, Ranger.
NEWCASTLE UTD 1 BOLTON WANDERERS 0 (Owen)
Given, Beye, Taylor, Coloccini, N'Zogbia, Milner,Butt, Guthrie, Gutierrez, Martins (Owen 53), Duff (Geremi 46).
Subs Not Used: Harper, Jose Enrique, Bassong, Smith, Edgar.
MANCHESTER UNITED 1 NEWCASTLE UTD 1 (Martins)
Given, Beye, Taylor, Coloccini, N'Zogbia, Milner, Butt, Guthrie, Gutierrez, Duff, Martins.
Subs Not Used: Harper, Jose Enrique, Bassong, Smith, Geremi, Edgar, Donaldson.