Steven Taylor : “When I was a young lad, Sir Bobby Robson told me that you have to step up to the plate in a derby game.
"That you are not at school any more.
“It’s a man’s game and for him to say to me made me think I had to grow up and quickly.
"I always had good people around me and we have good people at the club now who well help the young lads through it.
“I don’t like the build-up. I hate it because so much is said by all sorts of people. The best thing for me is to get on that pitch and get down to business.
“It’s going to be difficult. The last few times we played Sunderland, I don’t know whether people were too hyped up for it, but they didn’t go our way.
“Sunderland will be committed and organised. Gus Poyet is a very intelligent manager. Jack Colback speaks highly of him, so it ain’t going to easy. There will probably be just a goal in it.
“Concentration is going to be a massive thing and if only one person is not up for that game, well that could be the difference.
“For the past 12 years when I’ve been part of the games, people have been saying to play the match and not the occasion.
“That’s easy to say for those who don’t play in them. However, they are brilliant games and it’s a privilege to be part of them.”