How did the players fare in Sunderland's 1-0 win over Portsmouth?


SUNDERLAND (3-4-2-1):

6 Hoffmann: Made a couple of routine saves, but was never seriously tested despite Portsmouth seeing plenty of the ball

7 Flanagan: Put his body on the line to make blocks when they were needed and kept Walker under tight control all game

8 BATTH: Will have enjoyed his Sunderland debut – and deservedly so. Was dominant in the air and effective when tackling on the ground

7 Doyle: Proved he can handle the rough and tumble side of the game when needed, and passed with his usual polish

6 Gooch: Spent most of his afternoon defending, and proved he can slot in and sit back when Sunderland are under the cosh

7 Evans: Started slowly, but improved markedly in the second half when his reading of the game helped Sunderland gain the upper hand

6 Neil: A steady game at the heart of midfield – not everything came off, but he kept on trying to thread balls through

6 Cirkin: Wasn’t able to get forward as he would have liked, but helped cut off Pompey’s supply from the flanks

7 Embleton: Made the difference as he kept his head to slot Sunderland’s winner into the bottom corner towards the end of the first half

6 Dajaku: His pressing play helped forced errors from the Portsmouth defence and he covered a lot of ground pulling out wide

6 Stewart: Wasn’t a day when he had a lot of chances, but his tireless running meant Pompey’s defenders could never settle


Subs:

Winchester (for Embleton, 82)

O’Brien (for Dajaku, 88)

(not used): Patterson (gk), Xhemajli, T Hume, Diamond, Kimpioka.


PORTSMOUTH (4-2-3-1):

Bazuna 5; ROMEO 6, Carter 5, Raggett 5, Robertson 4 (Jacobs 78); Morrell 4, Thompson 4 (Williams 70, 5); Hackett 4, Harness 5, Curtis 5 (Hirst 70, 4); Walker 5.

Subs (not used): Steward (gk), Brown, Freeman, Ogilvie.


Man Of The Match: DANNY BATTH – He only signed on Tuesday, but Sunderland’s new centre-half slotted seamlessly into his new surrounds.