Player Ratings: Anis Mehmeti on Cloud Nine for Bristol City in Stoke City victory

Bristol City 3-4-2-1:

Max O'Leary: Had a few nervy moments when shot-shy Stoke did get forward and even though he didn't have a shot to save overall his handling was assured and he was a solid last line of defence to gain a confidence-boosting clean sheet. 6

Zak Vyner: Cool, calm and collected, the defender hardly put a foot wrong and his solid display ensured City didn’t miss injured Luke McNally took much and turned defence into attack with several forays down the right. 7

Centre of attention

Rob Dickie: Led by example at the heart of the defence, with injured central defensive team-mate Luke McNally missing, with a typically wholehearted commanding display, winning all his aerial battles, including the one from Max Bird’s corner that paved the way for Mehmeti’s second-half screamer. 7

Haydon Roberts: His early block when the scores were level to deny Lowe set the tone for an assured performance alongside Dickie and always used the ball well but picked up a booking for pulling back lively striker Ali Al-Hamadi. 7

Mark Sykes: There’s no stopping the classy Irish international when he’s marauding down the right and his clever run and pinpoint cross for Anis Mehmeti’s opener said it all about the wing-back. 7

Max Bird: The former Derby midfielder ensued that City gained the upper hand with a tidy display, using the ball well and never allowing Stoke time or space to get things going as he won all his battles. 7

Good Knight

Jason Knight: The Irish dynamo was here, there and everywhere for the Robins as they controlled midfield and the skipper’s work ethic ensured City spent most of the time on the front foot. Like Bird, Knight was very good on and off the ball and he is making good on his promise to keep improving in the West Country. 7

Ross McCrorie: Full of running, the high-energy Scot provided welcome width and verve down the left on his return from suspension and looked strong when he was asked to defend when he made the switch to right-back. 7

Scott Twine: Went close to opening the scoring early on but his low shot was kept out by Viktor Johansson and showed glimpses of skills and had a hand in Mehmeti’s opener with a clever pass to Sykes. 6

Anis Mehmeti: The Albanian international keeps going from strength to strength and took his goals tally to 11 for the season in style when he slotted home from close range on 11 minutes before unleashing a rocket that sealed victory for the Reds. 9

Sin the Zone

Sinclair Armstrong: The striker showed why Stoke emerged as rivals to sign him from QPR last summer with a lively performance and had a hand in Mehmeti’s opener, suggesting that the training ground work under boss Liam Manning is paying dividends. 8

Subs: George Earthy (for Twine, 60) 7; Nahki Wells (for Armstrong, 60) 7; Yu Hirakawa (for Sykes, 60) 7; Marcus McGuane (for Bird, 81) N/A; George Tanner (for McCrorie 86) N/A.