The Black Cats currently sit just a point above the relegation zone as they seek a fifth successive win over their neighbours.
However, while a retention of the bragging rights for another season would delight their beleaguered fans, it would count for little if the club, now under the charge of vastly-experienced Dutch manager Dick Advocaat, slipped out of the Barclays Premier League at the end of the campaign.
Cattermole told the Sunderland Echo: "The derby record is completely irrelevant
For us, we're looking at getting three points on the board.
"Yes, it's against Newcastle which makes it even bigger, but we need to get some points and secure our place in the Premier League.
"We were in it last year, we're in it this year and we need to find something to get out of it.
"That's what we're looking to do on Sunday
We'll know everyone else's results and then we've got to get the right result ourselves
We need to get better, it's as simple as that.
"We just haven't been good enough throughout the season and that's why we're lower down the league.
"Yes, we've got a new manager now, but we need to get some results as a group of players
That's our job."
Cattermole will hope to return to the starting line-up at the Stadium of Light having sat out the last two games - a demoralising 4-0 home defeat by Aston Villa and a 1-0 reverse at West Ham in Advocaat's first match - through suspension.
He could be joined by defender Billy Jones, who has finally shaken off a hamstring problem which has sidelined him since February, but Wes Brown is likely to be missing for a month with the knee problem he suffered at Upton Park.
Source : PA
Source: PA