Shay Given fears for Newcastle in Sunderland derby

Newcastle's high number of foreign players may weaken their chances in Sunday's relegation derby against Sunderland, according to former Magpies goalkeeper Shay Given.

The two sides head into the 153rd Tyne-Wear derby at St James' Park, live on Sky Sports 1 HD, knowing a victory could significantly improve their chances of avoiding relegation.

Sunderland sit just above the relegation zone on 25 points, ahead of Norwich on goal difference, with Newcastle one point behind in 19th position.

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Given, who made 354 appearances for Newcastle between 1996 and 2009, knows all about the passion and rivalry that the fixture guarantees, but is worried the club's foreign players may not be able to deliver the result that new manager Rafa Benitez desperately needs.

Speaking on Sky Sports Now, Given said: "My only concern is that there are a lot of foreign players at Newcastle now.

"Sometimes you question whether  they know what it means to play in such a big game as this - what it means to the fans, what it means for them going back to work on the Monday morning?

"You'd like to think Benitez can get that message across."

He added: "It's a tense occasion. It's huge for the fans, wanting to win this game more than any other game but if you asked any Sunderland fan or Newcastle fan this week 'would you take a loss at the weekend and stay up', they would probably do that.

"It's definitely a six-pointer, they're both in the relegation fight and it's going to be so close who stays up.

"It looks like Aston Villa have gone, and that it's between Norwich, Newcastle and Sunderland [for the other relegation places] so it looks as if one of the two big ones from the north-east are going to go down. This game at the weekend is monumental.

"It's not just a normal game, it's not just another Premier League game, it's a very special occasion. You can cut the tension with a knife beforehand."

Sunderland have won the last six Tyne-Wear derbies, while Newcastle are enduring a run of failing to score in the past four matches against their local rivals.

Eight points adrift of Newcastle is another one of Given's former clubs, Aston Villa, who have managed to record just three league victories all season and the 39-year-old has deep concerns for Remi Garde's side ahead of their trip to Swansea on Saturday, live on Sky Sports 1 HD.

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"It's bleak reading when you see the Premier League table relegation fight at the bottom and they're so far adrift," Given said.

"Randy Lerner invested I think £50m in the summer, that's a huge investment. The biggest problem is the players they brought in don't seem to be up to the standard of the Premier League. 

"They're sometimes good players in the French leagues or the Dutch leagues but it's a big step up to the Premier League and personally I felt they should have signed more Premier League experienced players in the summer - who know the league and know what it takes to stay in the division."