Jermaine Jenas exclusive: Rafa effect won't be enough for Newcastle

At times watching the Tyne-Wear derby on Sunday, I wondered how either side could be down at the bottom fighting relegation - such was the intensity and the fighting spirit on display. Of course, the simple answer is that neither Newcastle or Sunderland have shown that level of application nearly enough this season. And although recent improvements have been made at both clubs, it may have come too late for at least one of them.

Despite Aleksandar Mitrovic's dramatic and timely equaliser at St James's Park, the derby highlighted Newcastle's familiar problem of a lack of quality in the final third. A lot of points have been dropped at home this season due to missed chances and, ultimately, that could be what costs them. I actually think Mitrovic is a good player who will get better and better. He's strong, he's physical, he holds up the ball well and I also believe he will score goals - but that final part doesn't quite come naturally to him yet.

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On the other hand, Sunderland have a striker in Jermain Defoe who is guaranteed to get you goals. I played alongside Defoe for many years, for club and country, and he's one of the best strikers I've played with. Alan Shearer would be my number one, but in terms of out-and-out finishing Defoe is next on my list. He's absolutely relentless, deadly.

Sam Allardyce actually messed him about a bit when he first took over at the Stadium of Light, playing him out wide, and there was even talk that he might leave. But it's no surprise that as soon as Big Sam started playing him up front, the goals began to flow. They always will with Defoe. For a club like Sunderland, that kind of player is the difference between staying up and going down. Whatever kind of contract he is on, it could be the best money Sunderland have ever spent.

One of the biggest disappointments for me in the derby, and for this whole season in fact, was the form of Moussa Sissoko. Last season he was Newcastle's main man and he was being linked with some very big clubs in the summer. But against Sunderland he just looked totally lost.

Rafa Benitez needs to find a way to get the Frenchman back to what he was doing last year. And if I am looking for reasons for optimism on Tyneside, the person who gives me most confidence from a Newcastle perspective is Benitez.

I think his arrival has already had a huge positive impact - not so much in performances (yet) but more in terms of the belief he has instilled in the club. The fans seem to be massively behind him, which I didn't necessarily expect, but they do love a big name up there and he certainly fits that bill.

Having those fans on side, cheering rather than booing, could be the difference between them having a chance of survival and not. The effect he has on the town could be bigger than people think, in terms of the energy it transmits onto the pitch for their home games.

A lot is made of Rafa's ability to get teams organised and, while I haven't seen huge evidence of that yet, what he also brings is a calm head on the touchline. It would have been easy to panic going 1-0 down in the derby - and I'm sure plenty in the stadium were doing just that - but Benitez was incredibly patient. He made the right substitutions at the right times and it paid off in the end.

Overall I thought it was a good derby. It may not have been top quality football, but in terms of what I've seen from Newcastle this season, it was chalk and cheese. I saw hope and effort and work-rate, but the problem is that those things only get you so far. Newcastle have lacked quality all season, and not even Benitez can change that at this stage.

Meanwhile, Sunderland look organised, they have strength in depth and they've got a striker who will put the ball in the back of the net when they need him to. Plus, I think it's only a matter of time before they start getting clean sheets.

As a former Newcastle player it hurts me to say it, but I think if anyone is going to stay up out of those two teams, it will be Sunderland.