Sunderland player ratings as Black Cats beat Preston to land play-off spot

Sunderland beat Preston North End 3-0 to earn themselves a spot in the Championship play-offs.

Rob Cairns | May 8, 2023

Sunderland player ratings as Black Cats beat Preston to land play-off spot /

Here's how we rate the Sunderland players who featured v Preston today...

Patterson - Safe hands from a Cannon header in the first half. Made himself big when Delap missed a sitter soon later. Our stunningly good second half performance was built upon our willingness to pass the ball out from the back, under pressure, and trust our ability on the ball. That started with Patterson. 8

Gooch - Showed great attacking intent in the first half, setting the tone for our brave display. Wearing the armband suits him. Hopefully his injury isn't serious. 8

Hume - At no point since he's stepped in as a central defender have I thought he looks out of place. As with half of the squad, I've simply run out of words to describe how impressed I am with him. 9

O'Nien - If at the beginning of the season, you'd told me that Luke O'Nien would be the only fit centre-back at the club going into the final games I'd have been fearing the worst. Despite how excellent Batth and Ballard were, I think we're actually at our free-flowing best when we've got centre-backs like O'Nien and Hume who are so comfortable playing out and taking the ball under pressure. 9

Cirkin - Unfortunately injured in the first half. Replaced by Alex Pritchard at half-time in an extraordinarily brave managerial decision which paid off emphatically. 6

Neil - He was completely brilliant. So calm, so technical, and also getting stuck in, making challenges, throwing his body on the line. The fact he's still only 21 goes under the radar because he's been such a permanent fixture in the starting eleven this year. 10

Ekwah - Absolutely magnificent. I'll be honest, despite improved performances of late, I wasn't sure about Ekwah. After today I am 100% sold. Breaking through the lines, spreading the ball, using his physicality intelligently. We've got a player on our hands. 10

Clarke - Preston defended against him super-aggressively and he didn't wreak havoc in the first half like he often can. Playing deeper in the second half he had more ground to run in to. Another superb goal and assist. He dropped deeper and was superb at calmly killing the game in the last twenty minutes. An excellent technician. What a player. What a season. 9

Amad - Run out of words to describe my love for this man. This isn't just a case of a great player playing well in isolation - it's a great player feeding off playing for a great team and a great club and loving every second of it. 9

Roberts - Dazzling as he so often is. Didn't get on the scoresheet today but danced past players, exchanged one-twos, carved out opportunities. A beautiful footballer. 9

Gelhardt - Not given a penalty in the first half after falling over the outstretched leg of Bauer. Needed to score when played through by the incredible Ekwah. Played a superb ball out to Clarke for the third. Not clinical, but definitely adding a lot to our beautiful attacking game. 7

SUBS

Pritchard - Changed the game. Replacing Cirkin at half time meant we were playing what was virtually a 1-4-3-1. It was a basketball game for the first 15 minutes of the second half but after that we were incredible. When he delayed too long on a shot after a brilliant bit of play it felt like vintage Pritchard, but seconds later he completely wrong-footed the keeper with a genius finish from the edge of the box. Such a clever player who adds so much. 8

Anderson - Having a young Maldini to bring off the bench when holding a lead proved useful. He looked amazingly composed on the ball - another testament to our stellar scouting. 8

Michut - Got stuck in and recycled the ball excellently as we completely extinguished any hopes of a Preston fightback. 7

Ba - Came on and knocked the ball around tidily. 7

Lihadji - Like Ba, he looked bright and technical when he came on for the final five or so minutes. 7

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