The Sunderland boss said: “I think we will have two different positions. We will have our fans and the people around the club. Then we have our players and the club.

“For the fans, we know the game is really big. For us, the game is really important as well but we are professional.

“We won’t say we are preparing this fixture like another one but with a good commitment, concentration, the right level of energy. We know that it will be an intense game but the main focus is to find the best version of Sunderland for that fixture.”

The Magpies edged on to 10 points in this season’s competition and into 12th place in the table after a 2-2 draw at Bayer Leverkusen on Wednesday evening, a game in which they led 2-1 with just two minutes of normal time remaining.

Despite the disappointment of conceding a late equaliser, head coach Howe is confident they can progress to the knockout stage despite facing tough tests against PSV Eindhoven at St James’ Park and holders Paris St-Germain away in their final two league stage games.

Sunderland midfielder Habib Diarra hasn’t played since September’s match against Crystal Palace due to a groin injury but is expected to rejoin full training next week.

“Habib will train with the group next week and be in full training,” confirmed manager Regis Le Bris.

“He will need probably one or two weeks to be at his best after a good rehab programme and after that it depends on AFCON.

"We need to build his fitness level and after that, he will be ready.”

Sunderland manager Regis Le Bris is boosted by the returns of Reinildo and Dennis Cirkin.

Le Bris confirmed that Reinildo has returned to full training and is available for selection today while Cirkin could also feature.

“Dennis is ready – he has trained properly now for two or three weeks and he’s connected in the group,” he said.

"It’s good news because right now we don’t have many injuries.”

Newcastle United must pick themselves up after conceding a late goal during the midweek Champions League clash with Bayer Leverkusen which ended in a 2-2 draw.

"Goals happen in games and we haven't defended well enough,” said Eddie Howe after the match.

“It was too easy for them to go through the middle of our defence [for the second goal]. I wasn't happy at half-time, not so much with the performance but there was a real lack of belief that we could score.

“You have to make things happen and really believe internally. Off the ball, we were getting close to them but not in that final yard.

"It leaves us in a good position [to qualify in the top eight]. All we can do is focus back onto the Premier League where we are in a decent vein of form."

Sunderland XI: Roefs; Hume, Mukiele, Ballard, Geertruida, Reinildo; Xhaka, Sadiki; Traore, Isidor, Le Fee

Newcastle XI: Ramsdale, Livramento, Thiaw, Schar, Hall, Tonali, Guimaraes, Joelinton, Barnes, Woltemade, Gordon

Newcastle are sweating on the fitness of Emil Kraft, Sven Botman and Will Osula, with Eddie Howe admitting the injured trio are more likely to miss out than not, while Kieran Trippier and Nick Pope are also confirmed absentees.

But Yoane Wissa, who made his debut in their last Premier League game - a 2-1 win over Burnley - is likely to be brought on as a substitute as he builds back to full fitness after several months out.

Fifa has allowed clubs to retain their Afcon-bound players until 15 December, giving Sunderland the welcome boost of having a full-strength squad for this tie.

Habib Diarra will miss out however as he continues his recovery from groin surgery, with Aji Alese, who has a shoulder injury, and the suspended Luke O’Nien joining him on the sidelines. Reinildo has a minor groin injury but may be fit in time.

Substitute Lewis Miley looked to have claimed all three points at the BayArena with a 73rd-minute header after Anthony Gordon’s penalty had cancelled out Bruno Guimaraes’ unfortunate own goal on a night when Malick Thiaw was perhaps fortunate not to be sent off before the break.

There isn’t much to separate the two teams in terms of the Premier League table.

Sunderland come into the match having made a slightly better start to the season with six wins and five draws from their opening 15 matches.

They currently sit 10th with 22 points with Newcastle two places lower but only one point behind.

That is due to the extra defeat Eddie Howe’s men have suffered with five losses this term though only one in their last five games.

Newcastle have the better recent record with three wins in five compared to just one for Sunderland but in a derby such as this form can tend to matter for very little.