The two sides hadn't met at St. James' Park for a decade but Sunderland's strong second half showing saw them complete a Premier League double over the Magpies.
"Very, very painful - most of all, painful for our supporters and they're the ones I think about now," said Eddie Howe. "Once you haven't performed, and you know the size of the game and you don't deliver, you expect to be criticised and you understand why.
"We haven't done our jobs well enough today and we're desperately disappointed in ourselves. We have to absorb it and the only thing we can do is try and come back stronger from it."
In front of an expectant crowd, United started well. In the third minute, Lewis Hall sent over a wonderful cross from the left and Anthony Elanga, fresh from his two midweek goals at Camp Nou in midweek, arrived with a powerful header which flew just over the bar at the Leazes End.
Then in the tenth minute, Nick Woltemade seized upon a loose pass from Luke O'Nien to win the ball high up the pitch and fed Gordon, who advanced and drilled unerringly beyond Melker Ellborg for his 17th goal of the season.
As the Black Cats looked to respond, Aaron Ramsdale flew across his goal in the 24th minute to prevent Chemsdine Talbi's long-range strike from finding the top corner. The resulting flag kick was half cleared by United, as far Chris Rigg, whose shot was well off target.
Elanga shot into the side-netting after popping up on the left then, in the 43rd minute, Hall centred from the left once more but Sven Botman's looping header rebounded back off the far post.
A Hall free-kick was gathered by Ellborg in first-half stoppage time - but Sunderland started the second period well.
Botman was forced off in the 54th minute after he was caught in the face by a Brian Brobbey boot and Malick Thiaw replaced him.
Ramsdale pushed away a stinging drive from Chris Rigg but from the resulting corner, the keeper could only palm the ball towards Trai Hume, who helped the ball back into the box, and Talbi forced home from close range.
Just past the hour mark, Granit Xhaka's speculative effort deflected off Jacob Ramsey and dropped just over the bar - with many of the visiting supporters up on Level 7 thinking the ball had found the net.
United's starting XI included two Newcastle supporters in Hall and Dan Burn and in the 65th minute a third, Jacob Murphy, was introduced as part of a reshuffle which also saw Burn take the captain's armband from Trippier.
Murphy's first involvement was to sting the palms of Ellborg - but at the other end, Ramsdale had to stand tall to keep out a piledriver from Noah Sadiki.
A Barnes strike ricocheted agonisingly wide as the final 20 minutes approached, then Thiaw did well to block from Brobbey.
The German defender looked to have made an even more important contribution in the 75th minute as he headed Hall's corner into the Gallowgate net - but after a VAR check, the goal was disallowed for what was deemed to be a foul by Murphy.
United upped the intensity going into the final ten minutes and Gordon had a decent opportunity when he brought down Joe Willock's pass but fired over. Then the Magpies' leading scorer threatened once more in the 85th minute, cutting inside dangerously - but he was off target again.
Brobbey, however, made no mistake in the 90th minute, finishing at the second attempt from Enzo Le Fée's cutback.
In stoppage time, Hall's deflected free kick was saved by Ellborg and it will now be a long wait until the Magpies next play - they travel to Crystal Palace in three weeks - and even longer until they get an opportunity to face Sunderland again.
Newcastle United: Aaron Ramsdale, Kieran Trippier (c) (Tino Livramento 65), Lewis Hall, Sven Botman (Malick Thiaw 54), Joelinton, Anthony Gordon (Yoane Wissa 89), Harvey Barnes (William Osula 76), Anthony Elanga (Jacob Murphy 65), Nick Woltemade (Joe Willock 65), Dan Burn, Jacob Ramsey
Subs not used: Nick Pope, Alex Murphy, Sean Neave
