:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/37389840/454076000.0.jpg)
Vito Mannone - 7
Dependable, solid, brave and got a little luck when he needed it too. May just take a little shifting, but that's nothing we didn't already know.
Santiago Vergini - 7
Lovely second debut. You never really know what you're going to get from the Argentine but he rarely seems out of control. One of the more lovable Sunderland enigmas of recent years.
John O'Shea - 7
He didn't stand out, but since when has that been a bad thing for a defender? He did what was required.
Wes Brown - 8
Well he certainly did stand out. The former Manchester United defender was occasionally sloppy in possession, but in terms of actual defending he was colossal.
Patrick van Aanholt - 7
Done - again - defensively for the goal but I think everyone accepted that we were getting a player who needed a little work. He provided a real presence down that left-hand flank, though, and in his defence he received little defensive help in front of him.
Lee Cattermole - 8
What a player Cattermole has become. This was another imposing performance which was good enough to take home the Sky Sports man of the match award. He misses out on ours by the slitheriest of slithers, but he has firmly established himself as the heart and soul of this side.
Seb Larsson - 7
A tireless performance in the midfield and an assist for the goal to boot. Fine afternoon's work for the reinvigorated Swede.
Jack Rodwell - 7
You can still see he is struggling a little for sharpness, but helped himself to a goal and did enough elsewhere to whet the appetite for more.
Connor Wickham - 6
He seemed a little too preoccupied with proving he was big and strong instead of doing the simple things that really make a difference. He is still learning the position, so you have to have patience, but you feel there is so much more to come from him.
Will Buckley - 8
Man of the match, for me. See below.
Steven Fletcher - 5
When you're a touch and movement player - which Fletcher is - and you don't move and lose your touch, you may just find yourself in trouble. The excuses are quickly running out for the Scot.
Jordi Gomez - 5
He seemed a little nervy on his home debut. Oddly tentative for such an experienced player.
Jozy Altidore - 6
You almost don't want to say he 'put himself about a bit', because it's a historic backhanded compliment to proper carthorse strikers. He did, though, didn't he. He made an impact. You have to give him that.
Liam Bridcutt - 6
Sent on to stiffen up the midfield and he did that.
Man Of The Match: Will Buckley
It was a desperately close run thing between Buckley, Brown and Cattermole, but Buckley shades it for me. He was the person who provided that little spark that was needed to get the draw. He was a willing runner, an incisive dribbler, and a responsible defender. That all-round nature of the performance was what shaded it. Looking forward to seeing where he goes from here.
