Reading v Manchester City - Player Ratings

Alex McCarthy: 9

This performance was just a shade under his outstanding effort against Liverpool as McCarthy once again showed why in all honesty he should be playing Premier League football next season. He made save after save to keep the scoreline respectable and the only slight mark against him would have been a couple of dodgy punches and maybe the odd stray pass. However that really is nit picking and he was far and away Reading's MOTM.

Stephen Kelly: 5

Tonight really wasn't Kelly's night as he once again showed why he's a makeshift left-back and not a long-term solution. He got into some good areas but a lack of control and accuracy with his left-foot meant he was often ignored on the overlap and looked overly pressured when in possession. He's not a terrible option for a game or two, especially in the Championship but he's clearly a right-back and this will be one position that Adkins really needs to look at. Probably would have got a 6 but for the late error that led to City's second.

Adrian Mariappa: 6

Solid from Mariappa who showed all of his defensive skills on a tricky night against some of the best forwards in the world. While his ball playing skills have to be questioned, you can't fault his defensive efforts and he'd be one of the best defenders in the Championship next season.

Sean Morrison: 7

Morrison was excellent at the back this evening and his blocks were one of the main reasons this was a 2-0 rather than a 4-0 defeat. Like Mariappa, he's still got some work to do before you feel comfortable with him in possession but as far as defensive qualities go, Morrison's progression has really softened the impending blow of Alex Pearce's departure. With a season in the slightly more forgiving Championship next year, Morrison could really kick on.

Chris Gunter: 6

Gunter continues to show why Reading paid £2.5m but also why he's been dropped twice this season. When he's in full flow marauding down the right you think what a quality buy he is, but then he makes an absolutely stupid five-yard pass straight to the opposition and you begin to wish Andy Gurney was still in the number two shirt.

Garath McCleary: 6

Decent shift from McCleary who looked our biggest threat in the first half and was the only man to really test Joe Hart. He was also hacked down 25 yards out when in a good position and generally the former Forest man can be happy with his efforts last night. Sadly his crossing was still below-par and I don't think he's shown enough to be snapped up by a Premier League team this summer. Whether he remains at Reading is up for debate but if he's happy to stay I'd be happy to see him backing up Kebe and Robson-Kanu or Jobi McAnuff once again.

Jem Karacan: 6

It's no secret I'm not Jem's biggest fan but I can't do anything but praise the Turkish midfielder for the way he's slowly getting into games under Nigel Adkins. He's begun to show that he does have talent and composure on the ball and while he'll never be Xavi, he's showing that potential that made many label him Steve Sidwell's successor. Here's hoping it continues!

Danny Guthrie: 6

Like Gunter, Guthrie mixed the sublime with the senseless as he played some cracking passes one minute and then made stupid mistakes the next. A decent shift that would have been a good one in the Championship but still not one that excuses his awful conduct at times this year, he's talked the talk but I'm yet to see him totally walk the walk.

Jobi McAnuff: 5

A tough night for the skipper who never really got into the game and was kept out of the game by an impressive city back-line. He's no longer got the pace to burst past players, especially at the top level but he's still got the nous to make me think he'd be a great asset on and off the pitch next season.

Hal Robson-Kanu: 6

Hal didn't quite live up to his impressive display against Fulham but then he was up against a much, much stronger defence in tricky conditions this evening. In some ways I'm glad that he had a slightly subdued performance as the less publicity he gets in front of the Premier League camera's the more chance he's got to tear up the Championship as a Reading player.

Pavel Pogrebnyak: 5

Lived off scraps all night but it was disappointing to see him bullied off the ball quite so easily by the City backline. He had one chance to score but his header didn't beat Joe Hart and I'd say it's 50/50 whether we see him in a Reading shirt at the Madejski again.

Subs:

Adam Le Fondre: 5

Like Pog he had scraps to work with, he didn't really make much of an impact in 30 minutes. Still, he was named player of the season before the game, so at least he had one reason to be happy.

Nick Blackman: 6

This was one of Blackman's better cameo's and reminded me of his debut against Sunderland. He played one cracking cross-field pass but again let himself down with a couple of poor decisions and it'll be very interesting to see how he's used in the Championship.

That's how we've seen it but how did you rate them? Let us know in the comments below.