Sunderland 1 – 0 MAN CITY – PLAYER RATINGS

Hart - Made one save from Sessegnon during the second half and a stop in the first period that showed his class but ought to have done far better for the goal. Seemed to dive over the ball but shouldn’t be beaten at his near post from that distance, even if he was expecting the cross - 5

K. Touré – Shifted from centre-back to right-back and looked uncomfortable. Advanced with regularity but offered no quality, as to be expected, in the final third. Struggled on occasions against the physicality of McClean - 5

Kompany - Good to see him back and he largely did well but Fletcher was a tough opponent and seemed to have Kompany rattled at times. One early header struck the bar - 6

Nastasic – With frustration and lethargy all around him, he was composed and assured as normal. Competed well in the air – 6

Zabaleta – Johnson didn’t pose too many threats to him and the referee inexplicably failed to award a freekick after Zabaleta was fouled just before the goal, but he offered very little going forward. Ended up in some promising positions but no end product - 5

Garcia – One of his better performances, reading the game well and covering in front of the defence but his passing wasn’t too sharp. Hopefully starting to find his feet but must add some dynamism to his game. In an awful team display, he was about the best of a shocking bunch - 6

Y. Touré - Symptomatic of the team’s performance: slow, laboured and lacking in any dynamism or quality. For someone of his undoubted ability, he is so often underwhelming. No purpose or drive to his play. It’s a surprise these days when he plays well - 5

Milner - Started brightly, pressing the home side high up and looking a threat but had little to no end product. Arrived in plenty of menacing positions but couldn’t deliver the final ball - 5

Silva – Some of his passing, usually such a joy to watch, was abysmal and on days like yesterday when we lack creativity, we look more than ever in his direction. Unfortunately, it was one of his least impactful games of the season - 5

Tévez - No surprise to see him substituted even when we were pushing for an equaliser, such was his lack of spark. Dropped deeper and deeper as the game wore on but his touch deserted him and he grew gradually more frustrated - 5

Aguero - The only attacking player to have any sort of spark about his play but he was still way off the level we know he can reach. Wasted a great opportunity in the second half - 6

Subs

Dzeko – Offered absolutely nothing just as we desperately needed his rescue act once again - 5

Barry – A late substitute and barely got a touch of the ball - No time to mark

Lescott – An even later substitute, introduced as a target-man striker. Would Pantilimon not have been a better option for this role?! - No time to mark

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