Who impressed for Sunderland at Bristol Rovers?Who impressed for Sunderland at Bristol Rovers?
Who impressed for Sunderland at Bristol Rovers?

Phil Smith's Sunderland AFC player ratings: Who shone and who struggled as Black Cats defeat Joey Barton's Bristol Rovers

Sunderland have defeated Bristol Rovers at the Memorial Stadium

A first-half Aiden O’Brien goal was enough to give Lee Johnson’s side the win. The results means Sunderland are now unbeaten in their last 11 games in all competitions having lost just once in 18.

The Black Cats are two points off second-placed Peterborough United (with one game in hand) and three points off Hull City in first (with two games in hand).

But who were the star performers, and who has work to do?

Our chief football writer Phil Smith has dished out his marks from the match – scroll down and flick through the pages of our picture gallery to see how each player fared: