Goals

1-0: Wickham (19, deflected Zabaleta’s attempted clearance into the net after he sprinted onto Larsson’s through ball)

1-1: Aguero (21, fashioned a brilliant individual goal as he knocked the ball past Coates before lashing home)

1-2: Jovetic (39, slotted the ball through Pantilimon’s legs after Aguero had flicked Toure’s ball into his path)

1-3:  Zabaleta (55, entered the penalty area via a slick one-two with Nasri and lifted the ball over the advancing Pantilimon)

1-4: Aguero (71, stole ahead of Vergini to slide home Milner’s low right-wing cross from the edge of the six-yard box)

Bookings: Boyata (65, foul), Cattermole (71, foul)

Referee: Craig Pawson (Hull) – Was probably right to wave away Sunderland’s penalty appeals on the stroke of half-time and got most things correct 6

Attendance: 41,152

Entertainment: ****

SUNDERLAND (4-1-4-1):

6 Pantilimon: Wasn’t really at fault for any of the goals, but didn’t have one of his more commanding games against his former club

5 Vergini: Tried to get forward whenever possible, but was caught extremely flat-footed as Aguero scored City’s fourth goal

3 Coates: Will be having nightmares about this game for a while after Aguero repeatedly ran him ragged

4 O’Shea: Couldn’t get close to the irrepressible Aguero and often didn’t know whether to push out or drop deep

4 Reveillere: One of the Frenchman’s shakier performances as he struggled to contain Navas’ attacking runs

5 Cattermole: As ever, his effort and commitment couldn’t be faulted, but he couldn’t get close enough to City’s attackers to make a difference

6 Wickham: His goal was fortuitous, but he always looked to ask questions of the City defence and it was a surprise when he was replaced

6 LARSSON: Tracked Toure whenever he tried to surge through the City midfield and continued working to the final whistle

4 Rodwell: Wasted a decent early opening to give Sunderland the lead and was passed around much too easily at the heart of midfield

4 Buckley: Replaced the injured Johnson, but wasn’t really able to offer anything positive as he started on the left

5 Fletcher: Didn’t ask as many questions of the inexperienced Boyata as might have been expected, and injured his back at the start of the second half

Subs:

Altidore (for Fletcher, 55): Did nothing to change the course of the game and looks as far away from making a significant impact as ever 4

Alvarez (for Wickham, 66): Was a surprise choice to replace Wickham, but tried to provide some drive and energy in the final third 5

(not used): Mannone (gk), Brown, Bridcutt, Cabral, Gomez.

MAN CITY (4-2-3-1):

Hart  6; Zabaleta 9, Demichelis 6, Boyata 6, Clichy 7; Fernandinho 7, Toure 7; Navas 7, Nasri 8 (Pozo 82), Jovetic 7 (Milner 55, 7); AGUERO 9 (Lampard 74) .

Subs (not used): Caballero (gk), Sagna, Tasende, Fernando, Lampard.

MAN OF THE MATCH:  SERGIO AGUERO – Even by his own high standards, the Argentinian is in sublime form at the moment, and Sunderland’s defenders were completely incapable of coping with him.