7 Patterson: Didn’t have much to do but dealt with high balls and crosses well.
7 Hume: Solid defensively and attacking influence grew after the break. Went close early in second half.
7 Ballard: Mature performance and, alongside Batth, won what could have been testing battle against Carroll and Long.
7 Batth: Used his experience to deal with Reading threat. Solid.
7 Alese: Good first half block to deny Hoilett. Impressive in the second half.
7 Michut: Assured midfield performance. Did the ugly stuff in the first half and bossed it in the second half.
7 Neil: Scrappy first half but as tireless as ever. Like Michut, influence on the ball grew after the break.
6 Amad: Frustrating afternoon for the Manchester United loanee.
8 Roberts: Took the game by the scruff of the neck in the second half. Deserved his goal. The stand-out player on the pitch.
6 Clarke: No shortage of effort but didn’t quite happen for him.
6 Gelhardt: Frustrating home debut. Was feeding off scraps in the first half. Unlucky early in the second.
Substitutes:
7 Pritchard (for Diallo, 65): Classy cameo from the bench, helped Sunderland wear Reading down
O’Nien (for Neil, 75): N/A
Lihadji (for Gelhardt, 75): N/A
Bennette (for Clarke, 81) N/A
Ba (for Michut, 81): N/A
Subs not used: Bass, Ekwah
READING: LUMLEY 7, Yiadom 6, Sarr 6, Mbengue 6, Baba 5 (Azeez, 87), Hoilett 6 (Dann, 78), McIntyre 6, (Fornah, 87) Hendrick 6, Ince 5, Long 6 (Meite, 77) Carroll 6
Subs: Bouzanis, Guiness-Walker, Casadei,
Man of the Match: Patrick Roberts. Took control of the game after the break. Created a string of chances before firing home late winner
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