JAMES: Barely a save to make and had time to model new line in natty peaked caps 6

RICHARDS: Exuberant as he was at Villa Park in FA Cup heroics and might well have won a penalty 6

DUNNE: Given a tough time by Kyle and Stephen Elliott but just on top 6

DISTIN: Skipper has looked more assured than he did here but maybe that had something to do with midfield 7

JORDAN: Continues to be amongst the most consistent of performers for the Blues and got forward well 6

SINCLAIR: Much more life about him than at Liverpool. Perhaps the mask slowed him down 7

REYNA: Intelligent and well-paced comeback from the midfielder 6

MUSAMPA: Some of his passing is wonderful and sometimes he gives the ball away far too easily 6

RIERA: Not one of his better days and was sacrificed when it became clear City needed more bite 5

SAMARAS: Left foot, right foot, all that was missing was the hat-trick header. Still needs work on distribution 8

VASSELL: Pace made gaps for others to run into. Hopefully his hernia problem will not get worse 6

Subs:

Sun (Riera, 60) put himself about6 Wright-Phillips (Vassell, 68) busied himself well6 Ireland (Reyna, 81) - no time to mark. Not used: Weaver, Croft.

SUNDERLAND: Davis, McCartney, Delap (Lawrence 60), Breen, Whitehead, Elliott (Stead 81), Nosworthy, Collins, Kyle (Le Tallec 81), Leadbitter, Arca. Not used: Caldwell Murphy.

GOALS: City - Samaras (8 & 10); Sunderland - Kyle (24)

BOOKINGS: City - Riera (39); Sunderland - Whitehead (34), Breen (39 & 85), Delap (50). SENT OFF - Breen (85)

ATT: 42,200 REF: Chris Foy (Merseyside) fair 5 Tweet