Manchester City 2-1 Sunderland: The three best and the worst performers

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The worst

John O’Shea – Sunderland 

Sunderland laboured to the defeat without really threatening City. They struggled throughout the field, but here are the areas that David Moyes will need to look at before the next game.

Sunderland’s midfield everyman John O’Shea had a poor day out at the Etihad. He was completely anonymous in the centre of the field, his only touches either put further pressure on his teammates or gifted possession back to Manchester City.

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City’s extensive possession game should have been more intensely pressured by the visitors and O’Shea should’ve been the man to do it, but instead he languished in the midfield and allowed City’s talented midfield to play him out of the game.

The former Manchester United man will need to improve to keep his play in Sunderland’s midfield.

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Jack Rodwell – Sunderland

O’Shea wasn’t the only one who struggled in the heart of Sunderland’s midfield. Jack Rodwell was once considered an impressive prospect at Manchester City, but injuries inhibited his progress into the first team.

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Rodwell was equally anonymous on the ball as his midfield partner, and while O’Shea at least provided a degree of leadership on the field, Rodwell contributed next to nothing to Sunderland’s efforts.

While considerably talented, Rodwell needs become a more effective influence with the ball, and in a team that’s unlikely to have much in the way of possession, a more effective influence at reclaiming it.

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Donald Love – Sunderland

Sunderland’s confusion over what their new manager saw in Donald Love with deepen even further following his performance at the Etihad today.

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While he made the occasional useful tackle, both Raheem Sterling and a poorly performing Nolito continually outclassed Love. Nolito has his number throughout the game and either cut inside to threaten in the box or drove to the byline with ease. Sterling consistently broke past him to provide dangerous balls into the box in the closing stages of the game.

If Love wants to justify his position in the line up ahead of Billy Jones, he’ll need to improve and improve fast.

Featured image: All rights reserved by Michael Steele

Will also writes for Football Ticket Net, his choice for Manchester City tickets