The 26-year-old Northern Ireland defender endured an eventful first taste of the local rivalry when he scored an own goal and conceded a penalty in a 3-0 FA Cup third-round defeat by Newcastle at the Stadium of Light in January 2024.

However, he was part of the Sunderland team who won 1-0 on Wearside in the first Premier League derby between the sides since March 2016 in December.

When asked about his first run-in with the Magpies, Ballard, who has been nursing a tight hamstring and will be given until the last moment to prove his fitness, said: "That was a really tough moment for me in my career.

"We were well beaten on the day and scoring the own goal when it was such an important day for the fans was really tough to take.

"Leading into the game this year brought back a lot of those memories and how tough it was after that game.

"It's tough, really. You can't change what's happened, you've just got to look ahead to the next games. But at the time, it feels like the night could take forever and you're just waiting for the next game.

"At the time when times are tough, it's hard to think about that, but it is extra motivation. There's nothing you can do when it's done, you've just got to focus on the next task and since then, it's been going pretty well."

Victory over the Magpies before Christmas yielded very different emotions as Nick Woltemade's own goal handed Sunderland a seventh victory in 10 league meetings with their arch-rivals, none of which have ended in defeat, although in his joy, Ballard was still able to empathise with the unfortunate Germany international.

He said: "As soon as our goal goes in, I was just as delighted as the fans were. But if there's anyone who knows what it feels like, it's me.

"It's just part of the job. You have your good days and your bad ones. He's a rival of ours, but on a human level, I'm sure he'll bounce back from it."

Ballard has been one of the stars of Sunderland's hugely impressive first season back in the top flight, which saw them reach their initial target of 40 points earlier this month, and a recent lull amid a glut of injuries has taken only a little of the shine off that.

It was his last-gasp extra-time goal which took the club to last season's Sky Bet Championship play-off final at Coventry's expense, a feat which has written the former Arsenal trainee into the club's folklore alongside 1973 FA Cup final heroes Jimmy Montgomery and the late Ian Porterfield.

He said: "I'd probably have to stay and play a few more games to be mentioned alongside them, but I think that goal against Coventry will be something I'll never forget and probably the Sunderland fans won't.

"That was an amazing moment."