Player Ratings: Sunderland 0-0 Fulham

The Irish international came to his defense's rescue by denying Dembele early on and then Baird after the break with fine saves. Not bad for a third-choice keeper.

He is a makeshift left back and it showed because the tenacious Scottish international struggled to cope with Damien Duff and flattered to deceive in attack.

Struggled to keep up with Zamora and although he stuck to his task well enough with a dogged display he never looked truly comfortable against the England striker or replacement Andy Johnson.

Now getting back to his best after overcoming a serious injury and looked the part with a series of important headers and interceptions.

The former Manchester United player makes the art of defending look so easy that you wonder why Sir Alex Ferguson allowed him to leave Old Trafford but could have done better as an auxiliary attacker.

The former England international started off well and saw a bullet header cannon off the crossbar but then became a peripheral figure

Some fans reckon he is a liability and he did nothing to suggest otherwise after a disciplined opening was followed by a caution for a reckless foul that left him walking on proverbial eggshells.

Rattled the woodwork early on with a scorching left-footed shot and generally kept Sunderland on the front foot in a lively display. Arguably better than Jordan Hendet

Flatters to deceive like no one else in a Sunderland shirt because he regularly gets into good positions only to ping over wasteful crosses.

He is on the look-out for the Champions League club but there was nothing in this performance that would have any of Europe's elite looking for the Dane's number.

They reckon goalkeepers get better with age but the 39-year-old Australian hardly had a chance to show that old adage is true as shot-shy Sunderland failed to show this was no place for old men.

The Swiss center half hardly put a foot wrong as he won the battle of the Arsenal old boys by getting the better of Bendtner with a robust display.

Trademark stuff from the Newcastle old boy who put in a typically no frills shift at right back, but struggled when Sessegnon had a go at him.

The Norwegian hardly had to break sweat but then again he won't have many quieter afternoons away from Craven Cottage.

He should count himself lucky that he was up against Ahmed Elmohamady because most other wingers would have taken maximum advantage of his slack marking

He might not be able to waltz past opponents these days but he is clearly making up for a loss of pace by working extra hard in attack and defense.

It took the Liverpool old boy a while to get going but when he did Fulham gained the upper hand as he used his guile to dominate midfield but should have done better with a second half chance.

He was lucky to stay on the pitch following two foolish challenges in two minutes but he rode his luck to ensure Fulham enjoyed the upper hand after weathering early Sunderland pressure and almost scored just before the break when Cattermole cleared his header off the line.

Carried on where he left off with England by working his socks off for 68 minutes and pulled the Sunderland defense all over the place before being withdrawn by Martin Jol.

Proved to be a real handful 'in the hole' but after being denied early opener by Westwood but should have done better after being given the freedom of Sunderland by his opponents before finally teeing up Dempsey who missed a sitter.