Attendance: 47,653
Sam Allardyce’s Sunderland made history with a thumping win to make it six successive derby victories over north-east rivals Newcastle.
Adam Johnson’s penalty on the stroke of half-time nudged the hosts in front after Fabricio Coloccini saw red for barging into Steven Fletcher.
Costel Pantilimon made a key save to deny Aleksandar Mitrovic an equaliser early in the second half before Allardyce’s men kicked on to secure a vital win.
Billy Jones netted his first goal for the club at a perfect time with 25 minutes to play before Steven Fletcher netted a brilliantly-taken third just four minutes from the end.
To be fair to Newcastle, the visitors had enjoyed a sizeable chunk of the play until Coloccini’s needless aberration, which saw his team forced to play the entire second period a man short.
However, there can be no doubt about the ruthlessness of Sunderland’s response once their opening did come along.
The visitors paid dearly for their missed chances in the first half as the Black Cats’ derby hoodoo over the Magpies continues.
A first league win of the campaign will be a huge boost to Allardyce, who became the fourth successive Sunderland manager to be defeated in his first game before beating Newcastle in his second.
The new boss made three changes to his side ahead of the game, bringing in Ola Toinoven following injury and Jeremain Lens after suspension, while Johnson also returned to the side.
Seb Larsson, Jordi Gomez and the injured Fabio Borini were the men to miss out.
The game started an electric pace in front of a predictably raucous crowd, with Newcastle generating the first opportunity after three minutes as the away side started well.
Skipper Coloccini got on the end of Jack Colback's inswinging free-kick, but the defender's acrobatic effort was well fielded by Costel Pantilimon.
Then Lee Cattermole did brilliantly to deny Moussa Sissoko as the midfielder strode forward, pulling off a superbly-timed challenge in the penalty area.
Newcastle had made the better start and Mitrovic ended a flowing counter-attack when he headed a right-wing cross wide of the far post.
Then a neat give-and-go gave the in-form Georginio Wijnaldum a sight of goal on 16 minutes, but Pantilimon was equal to the Dutchman's low drive from the left of centre.
Colback threatened from a similar position soon afterwards, but the former Sunderland man scuffed his shot which struck Mitrovic stood in an offside position and bounced harmlessly away.
Sunderland created their first half-chance just before the half-hour mark when Jones got down the left and crossed for Fletcher, who was just beaten in the air by Coloccini.
But Newcastle hit back moments later as Colback's shot on the turn was pushed behind by Pantilimon before Mitrovic fired narrowly wide first time from the resulting corner.
Ayoze Perez should have given Newcastle the lead on 32 minutes, but the frontman couldn't direct Sissoko's cross onto the target.
Allardyce was dealt a blow with the loss of two players to injury within as many minutes – Toivonen replaced by Jermain Defoe before John O'Shea limped off after pulling his hamstrong chasing a ball over the top.
Sebastian Coates was the man to replace the captain, forming a partnership with Kaboul in central defence which stood up to everything the Magpies could throw at them.
Wijnaldum saw another chance pass by as his free-kick was pushed over the top by Pantilimon, and the visitors were made to pay for their profligacy in stoppage time as Sunderland took the lead with their first shot on target.
The hosts' first real moment of attacking quality – a slide-rule ball forward by Defoe – released Fletcher, who was bundled to the floor by Coloccini as Newcastle keeper Rob Elliot raced out.
Referee Mr Madley took a moment to consider and then pointed to the penalty spot as the Stadium of Light erupted.
Coloccini was given his marching orders for denying a goalscoring opportunity before Johnson fired the penalty low into the corner – a great finish under pressure.
Newcastle's fury at the decision threatened to boil over, with Steve McClaren entering the field of play to remonstrate with the referee following the half-time whistle.
McClaren was forced to sacrifice a midfielder to plug the gap left by Coloccini, with Cheick Tiote - on a booking - replaced by Jamal Lascelles at the break.
The derby intensity continued, with Colback substituted in the early stages of the second period following a crunching challenge from Cattermole.
Sunderland were in a strong position but were grateful to Pantilimon for a key save to maintain the lead 10 minutes into the second 45.
Cattermole's attempted block succeeded only in diverting the ball into the path of Mitrovic, who turned DeAndre Yedlin and fired towards goal only for the big Romanian to block brilliantly with his body at close range.
The pace began to slow somewhat with the adrenaline perhaps beginning to wear off, but Sunderland put Newcastle to the sword at just the right time again to take a two-goal lead with 25 minutes left.
Fletcher saw a snapshot deflected narrowly over the top for a corner, and an Allardyce set piece worked to perfection.
Johnson's delivery was brilliantly volleyed goalwards by M'Vila and there was Jones to turn the ball into the roof of the net from two yards out and spark bedlam inside the Stadium of Light.
Sunderland were now very much in the box seat, though Wijnaldum sent a timely reminder that the hosts couldn't relax when his well-hit low shot from the right of goal was turned behind by Pantilimon.
With the atmosphere inside the Stadium of Light deafening, Johnson nearly extended the lead with a superb curling effort, but the winger saw the effort cannon back off the bar with Elliot well beaten.
The hosts were still sniffing a chance as the ball bounced back into play, but Fletcher just couldn't reach Defoe's tantalising cross as he looked to sneak in between two defenders.
As time drained away, Newcastle looked to dig out a response and some good play saw Daryl Janmaat get into a good crossing position, with the delivery headed well wide by Mitrovic.
Coates then did well to head a dangerous Sissoko cross behind and sub Florian Thauvin fired wide of the near post.
Allardyce introduced Seb Larsson in place of Lens for the final eight minutes as Sunderland looked to close out a record win.
In doing so, things got even better for the Sunderland fans, who were already in derby dreamland for a sixth time.
Tiring legs opened up a yawning gap in the Newcastle defence as Sunderland countered with four minutes left – started by a superb interception from Kaboul who raced upfield to join the attack.
The advancing Yann M’Vila found the defender who lofted a sublime cross over the heads of the covering defence and into the path of Fletcher, who ripped a volley through Elliot’s legs and into the net.
It was a fitting way to round off a first win in charge for Allardyce, whose delight was evident at the final whistle as the Stadium of Light celebrated an historic – and potentially key – win.