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Sunderland's 'superb' standout star - and the player who 'emphatically' won battle

**SUNDERLAND** (4-3-3):

7 **Roefs**: Didn’t have a lot to do, but got down well in the second half to keep out Munetsi’s low shot

9 **MUKIELE**: Superb at both ends of the pitch – rock-solid in defence and a real attacking threat from his full-back berth

8 **Ballard**: More than justified his recall to the team with a dominant defensive display that saw him win a host of headers

8 **Alderete**: Was an emphatic winner of his personal battle with Strand Larsen and blocked a succession of Wolves shots

8 **Hume**: Defended brilliantly and day and delivered a brilliant pass to set up Mukiele’s goal

8 **Sadiki**: Shrugged off pre-match injury concerns to deliver a brilliant defensive-midfield display – won pretty much everything he went for

8 **Xhaka**: Never looks ruffled or rushed – another game where he calmly dictated play at the heart of midfield

7 **Rigg**: Covered a lot of ground and helped pin Wolves’ defenders in their own half for long spells

6 **Traore**: Showed some nice touches in attack, but also conceded possession cheaply in his own half on a couple of occasions

7 **Isidor**: Had a first-half effort rightly disallowed for offside, but tied up the Wolves defence with his strong running

7 **Le Fee**: Showed plenty of nice attacking touches, and worked hard defensively when Wolves had the ball

 

**Subs**:

7 **Talbi** (for Traore, 63): Carried a counter-attacking threat and set up the second goal with a cross for Mayenda

Geertruida (for Rigg, 76)

Mayenda (for Isidor, 76)

Neil (for Sadiki, 90+4)

(not used): Patterson (gk), Masuaku, O’Nien, Adingra, Brobbey.

**WOLVES** (4-3-3):

Johnstone 4; Doherty 5 (Hoever 67, 5), S Bueno 4, Krejci 4, **H BUENO** 6; Munetsi 6, Andre 4, J Gomes 4 (Lopez 76); Arias 4 (Tchatchoua 76), Strand Larsen 4, R Gomes 5 (Arokodare 76).

Subs (not used): Sa (gk), Moller Wolfe, Agbadou, Mosquera, Toti.

**Man Of The Match: NORDI MUKIELE** – Not only scored the winner, but popping up here, there and everywhere after being repositioned at right-back.

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