It was an embrace that said it all as under-pressure Newcastle manager Graeme Souness practically squeezed the life out of Emre within seconds of him scoring a stunning free-kick to settle a sensational Tyne-Wear derby.

It was Emre's first for the club following his £3.8million transfer window move from Inter Milan, and allows Souness to live and fight another day as his job was reputed to be on the line going into this St James' Park derby.

It was also the only goal of the second period following an opening first-half that caught fire with four goals in eight crazy minutes as Sunderland twice came from behind.

Unsurprisingly, with no love lost between these sides, it was a case of the fast and the furious in that frantic opening 45 minutes.

There was no hint of the drama that was to unfold from the opening half hour as these two bitter rivals squared up to one another before eventually trading blows.

There was obvious passion, albeit over the top after just 38 seconds when Dean Whitehead was booked after going through the back of Emre, back in the starting line-up for the first time in eight weeks following a hamstring problem.

Sunderland centre-back Stephen Caldwell, a former Magpie, was then involved in a clash of heads with Shola Ameobi, who would later prove himself an adequate replacement for the injured Michael Owen.

Caldwell sustained a bloodied nose for his troubles, and while receiving treatment on the sidelines, was forced to change his shirt and shorts before Newcastle started to take a stranglehold.

Two routine saves from Kelvin Davis were followed by a fine stop in the 20th minute, with Ameobi denied after turning on a low through ball from Nolberto Solano.

The Peruvian winger was making his first appearance since re-signing for Newcastle at the end of the transfer window in a £1.5million deal from Aston Villa and after recovering from a thigh injury.

He then supplied Alan Shearer soon after with a simple, yet incisive through ball from which the Newcastle captain was inches away with a right-foot curler that finished beyond Davis' left-hand post.

Shearer then should have given the Magpies the lead in the 31st minute, only for a swift counter attack to end with Nyron Nosworthy superbly blocking the veteran's angled drive.

But two minutes later and Newcastle pressure paid off, with Ameobi peeling off his marker in a crowded penalty area to powerfully head home an Emre corner for his first league goal of the season.

The Black Cats' response, though, was swift and stunning for just 91 seconds later Liam Lawrence was sweeping home a 25-yard right-foot shot beyond the outstretched grasp of Shay Given and into the bottom left-hand corner.

A truly electrifying spell continued with Newcastle back in front within 117 seconds, with Ameobi again proving a handful, although ultimately it was Caldwell furthering an unhappy return to Tyneside.

A Stephen Carr cross to the far post was hooked back first time into the heart of the area by Charles N'Zogbia where Ameobi rose above Caldwell on the edge of the six-yard box, and the Black Cats defender appeared to head the ball into his own net under pressure.

Undaunted, Sunderland hit back a second time four minutes after that courtesy of the spectacular with Stephen Elliott thundering home a left-foot rocket into the top right-hand corner. Somewhat remarkably, there was no let up in tempo and tension after the break, with Sunderland initially coming closest to a third in the opening exchanges - that after failing to score in their previous three meetings with the Magpies.

In what proved a nightmare spell for Jean-Alain Boumsong, the French centre-back was initially lucky to see a long-range Whitehead drive ricochet off him and shave the right-hand post in the 52nd minute, with Given rooted.

But the Republic of Ireland international then saved his side within a minute, turning aside a 12-yard shot-on-the-turn from compatriot Elliott after Boumsong had made a hash of clearing Lawrence's low ball into the area.

Instead, it was Newcastle who again made the breakthrough, with Emre curling home a 28-yard left-foot free-kick in off the post after Caldwell had fouled Ameobi.

Emre then raced to the touchline and into the arms of a jubilant Souness, with the two men hugging wholeheartedly before being mobbed by a number of other Newcastle players.

It was close to 4-2 minutes later, with another deadball delivery from Emre from wide on the left finding Steven Taylor at the far post for a downward header Davis saved at point-blank range.

Even then, the Black Cats could have squared it for a third time as Lawrence was unlucky not to have been awarded a penalty following an N'Zogbia challenge, while Elliott saw a fine lob over Given hit the crossbar.

In the end, it was United who came away with a fourth straight victory over Sunderland to leave the Black Cats entrenched in the relegation zone.

Teams:

Newcastle Given, Carr, Boumsong, Taylor, Ramage, Solano (Clark 80), Parker, Emre (Faye 81), N'Zogbia, Shearer, Ameobi (Chopra 79).

Subs Not Used: Caig, Brittain.

Booked: Parker, Carr.

Goals: Ameobi 34, Caldwell 37 og, Emre 63.

Sunderland Davis, Nosworthy, Breen (Stubbs 42), Caldwell, Hoyte, Lawrence, Miller, Whitehead, Welsh (Arca 45), Elliott, Gray (Le Tallec 79).

Subs Not Used: Alnwick, Robinson.

Booked: Whitehead, Miller.

Goals: Lawrence 35, Elliott 41.

Att: 52,302