Sunderland 2-0 West Bromwich Albion: Player Ratings

Vito Mannone - 7

Saved the few shots that came at him and even when he made a bit of a mess of a cross, he made up for it by punching the ball away, wiping Wes Brown out in the process. It takes a brave man to take on Wes, so credit to the big Italian for doing so. Solid.

Santiago Vergini - 9

The Argentinian centre back just gets better and better...at right back! No way back for Bardsley now. Excellent defensively and comfortable going forward, it was just a shame he didn't take his chance and score.

Wes Brown - 8

He and O'Shea have been immense of late and it was no different tonight. Ok, West Brom offered little in the way of attacking threat, but what they did throw at us, Wes dealt with.

John O'Shea - 8

As above. Marshaled and directed the defence superbly. A few weeks ago, after the Everton game I think it was, O'Shea had a bit of an argument with someone in the South East corner. Or at least it looked like an argument. At the end of the match today he looked over from the half way line, shielding his eyes, pointed at the corner then grabbed the badge as if to say, "I told you so". He has a point. Fair play to him, he's proved a few of us wrong.

Marcos Alonso - 9

Like the rest of the back four, simply brilliant. Set up the crucial first goal with a fine run and cross. Sign him up permanently please.

Lee Cattermole - 9

Cattermole simply bossed the midfield until he was substituted. He ran the show. He tackles, he intercepts, he passes, he does pretty much everything from the base of midfield. Another wonderful performance full of grit and determination and that ball down the right for Johnson in the first half was just sublime.

Seb Larsson - 8

The pass for the second goal...wow. When did Pirlo take possession of the Swedish midfielder? Larsson has been brilliant of late, capping his performances with a goal at Old Trafford and that superb assist tonight. Faded a bit in the second half, not that it really matters.

Jack Colback - 8

If only Colback made those late runs into the box and scored all of the time, rather than just three or four times a season. Although his goal was vital, he was probably the poorest of the midfield three - just - after stumbling in decent areas a couple of times, but after moving to the left, he almost set up Altidore for a third. It'll be a real shame if he leaves for nothing in the summer as there's clearly a very decent player in there.

Adam Johnson - 6

Looked to have the beating of stand in West Brom full back, Chris Brunt, but then didn't really test him a great deal. A couple of decent runs aside, he was fairly quiet. Once again worked hard defensively and always looked for the ball and made positive runs. It's just not happening for him at the moment though.

Fabio Borini - 9

The finish for our second goal was simply wonderful. The ball from Larsson was a peach but it required an expert, precise bit of skill to put it in the net. Borini delivered it after a characteristic run from the left into the box. The goal capped a fine performance from the Italian, who worked well in tandem with Alonso on the left to give Steven Reid a torrid time in the first half.

Connor Wickham - 6

Some decent flick ons and hold up play from the big striker but no real clear cut chances came his way. He faded badly in the second half before being taken off, but that was in part down to the fact he cut an isolated figure up front as Sunderland sat deeper.

Liam Bridcutt - 7

With Sunderland losing a grip of the midfield, Bridcutt was introduced to add some additional steel and ball playing ability. He did that to good effect, with the Lads looking a more solid outfit with him on the field. His introduction also freed Cattermole up to press higher up the pitch.

Jozy Altidore - 6

Some good hold up play, hard work and running from the American was let down by what appeared to be a poor miss in front of the North Stand. I sit in the South Stand, so perhaps I'm being unfair on him, but it looked like the kind of wasted opportunity that pretty much sums up his season.

Emanuele Giaccherini - 5

Hard to score him anything really, as he was only on for the final 5 minutes or so.

Man Of The Match - Lee Cattermole

Cattermole is immense and was absolutely brilliant once again tonight. A fine, underrated player who has really matured of late. The only thing he didn't do today was score, but then that's not what he's in the team to do. What he is in to do, he did to perfection. Wonderful stuff.