The Observer should be paying Pete Sixsmith a salary. As well as writing the half-term report, he summed up yesterday’s match for them. Here, plus the same exercise involving an Everton fan, is his fan’s view of the match …

THE FANS’ PLAYER RATINGS AND VERDICT

Pete Sixsmith, salutsunderland.com

Once again we failed to close down a game after going one up. Darren Bent scored a great goal that showed what we are capable of when we go forward. But we cannot control the midfield. Fellaini ran the show and, to be honest, we didn’t have anyone to compare to him. If you are defending in the penalty box then you are always going to concede. John Mensah was excellent, while Steed Malbranque looked like he is on his way out of the club.

The fan’s player ratings Fulop 6; Bardsley 7, Mensah 8 (Nosworthy 71 6), Da Silva 7, McCartney 6; Malbranque 4 (Zenden 58 6) Cana 6, Henderson 5, Reid 6; Jones 6, Bent 7

Steve Jones, BlueKipper.com

We got a good point in the end. But I’m disappointed we didn’t get the three points. They had a good period in the first half, but the second half was all us. That’s our problem this season, we can’t win these sort of games like we did last season. Fellaini was outstanding. This was his best game for us and I think that is because he’s playing in the middle of the park. Pienaar was good, as was Saha, even though he missed a few chances. But we can’t keep using injuries as an excuse.

The fan’s player ratings Howard 7; Hibbert 6, Neill 7, Heitinga 6, Baines 8; Bilyaletdinov 6, Osman 7 (Yakubu 69 7), Fellaini 10, Pienaar 8; Cahill 7; Saha 6 (Vaughan 87 n/a)

The Rovers Returned in the nick of time. We were beginning to fear Dan Clough* – great surname and he runs the Rovers Return site – was not going to get back to us with the answers to the customary Salut! Sunderland questions. It being Christmas, he’d completely forgotten. But here they are, including his thoughts on Sunderland (essentially “none, I’m afraid”) and Alan Shearer (“true Rovers legend”); and given how often we played Blackburn Rovers last season, each time getting a Rovers previewer, it is probably a small wonder that there was anyone left to interview …

Salut! Sunderland: Miserable about your form so far this season or just happy to be out of the relegation zone?

A mixture of the two. Things started reasonably well but recent form has been desperate and, with no signs of our away form improving at the moment, things are starting to look bleak. It’s good not to be in the relegation zone, but after a few bad results we are well and truly in the relegation battle at this moment in time.

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The Observer has been milking us dry again. Today’s edition has a half-term report from a fan of each Premier side.

Here is Pete Sxsmith’s verdict (and click here for his thoughts on the draw against Everton):

Sunderland, 10th, Pete Sixsmith, SalutSunderland.com

August, September, October – really encouraging, good football, good results and a misty dream of breaking into the top six. November and December – the ghosts of McCarthy and Sbragia start to appear, as we begin our annual slide down the table.

Star man and biggest underperformer? Bent, Cana and Cattermole have impressed, Gordon has begun to look like a top-class keeper, and Reid’s weight loss has made him a regular. On the other hand, Campbell has yet to look a top-flight player and McCartney has proved the old maxim: “never go back”.

Happy with the gaffer? Steve Bruce will be a success, but there are times when he’s a little one-dimensional.

Who should he sign? We need two full-backs who can tackle, pass, support the wide midfielders and not get caught out of position.

Latest links: Graham Dorrans (West Brom, winger); Maynor Figueroa (Wigan, defender); Victor Moses (C Palace, winger).