Manchester City 5-3 Sunderland: Maresca's side stay perfect as Brobbey hat-trick is not enough

Manchester City beat Sunderland 5-3 at the Etihad Stadium, moving three points clear at the top of the Premier League and maintaining their 100 per cent league record. Enzo Fernandez, Rayan Cherki, Antoine Semenyo (twice) and Erling Haaland scored, with Brian Brobbey netting a hat-trick for Sunderland.

  • Competition: Premier League
  • Venue: Etihad Stadium
  • Score: Manchester City 5-3 Sunderland
  • Top of the table: City move three points clear after five wins from five
  • Match ball: Brian Brobbey's first senior hat-trick
  • Stats: Sunderland accumulated 4.25 expected goals

The numbers

  • Sunderland expected goals: 4.25 at the Etihad
  • Manchester City league record: five victories from five
  • City league goals: 13 during the opening phase of the campaign
  • City goals before this meeting: two conceded in the competition
  • Enzo Fernandez fee: £125 million from Chelsea

How the eight-goal thriller unfolded

City led inside nine minutes when Enzo Fernandez struck a clever free kick that caught Sunderland at the near post, his first Manchester City goal since his £125 million move from Chelsea.

Sunderland responded quickly. Enzo Le Fee delivered an excellent pass for Brian Brobbey, who slipped his finish beyond Gianluigi Donnarumma, establishing the pattern of a contest in which the visitors repeatedly recovered from setbacks.

City regained the lead after Sunderland were caught attempting to play out from defence. City moved the ball to Rayan Cherki, who finished accurately into the bottom corner. Once again Sunderland answered: Le Fee split the Manchester City defence and found Thomas Meunier, whose unselfish square pass allowed Brobbey to finish into an empty net. A lengthy VAR examination followed before the goal was confirmed.

City gradually began enjoying longer spells of possession inside Sunderland territory. Two minutes before half time, Antoine Semenyo restored their lead with a sweetly struck effort after Sunderland failed to clear a cross from the right.

Maresca's team then had an opportunity to establish a two-goal cushion during first-half stoppage time. Iliman Ndiaye created the opening for Erling Haaland, who sent his effort wide with the goal exposed. It was an important escape for Sunderland.

The second half initially brought greater control before City struck again. Marc Guehi attempted to find Haaland with a pass, only for the ball to reach Semenyo. The forward reacted decisively, drilling a left-footed finish into the far corner for his second goal of the afternoon.

Sunderland required only two minutes to respond. Granit Xhaka's intelligent pass released Nilson Angulo, who delivered the ball across goal for Brobbey to force home, completing the Netherlands striker's first senior hat-trick and reducing City's advantage to 4-3.

City attempted to control possession and remove some of Sunderland's momentum. The visitors continued pushing forward and almost drew level following uncertainty from Donnarumma. The Italian goalkeeper failed to claim a high delivery, Ruben Dias then produced a loose touch which sent the ball back towards his own goal. The City captain recovered quickly enough to hook it off the line. Donnarumma appeared uncomfortable again when Sunderland launched the resulting long throw into his penalty area. Manchester City survived.

City eventually found the decisive fifth goal nine minutes from time. Josko Gvardiol advanced before delivering across goal, where Haaland slid in at the back post to convert. The assistant initially raised the flag for offside, as had happened with Haaland's goal at Old Trafford the previous weekend. Gvardiol had timed his movement correctly, however, and the decision was overturned.

Analysis: City's firepower masks a defensive warning

Enzo Maresca has City scoring at will but conceding chances at a rate that should worry him. Sunderland's 4.25 expected goals is a huge number for a side that had conceded only twice in the league before this game, and it came from repeatable problems: playing out under pressure, failing to clear crosses, and uncertainty from Gianluigi Donnarumma on high deliveries.

The attacking quality is undeniable. Enzo Fernandez's inventive free kick, Antoine Semenyo's two finishes, and Erling Haaland's late intervention provided enough firepower to protect the perfect record. Haaland has now scored against every Premier League opponent he has faced, and City head into the international break with five victories from five league matches, plus wins in Europe and the Carabao Cup.

Regis Le Bris will be frustrated by how several City goals arrived. Sunderland were punished when attempting to play out, struggled with the cross preceding Semenyo's first goal, and allowed City enough opportunities for their attacking talent to decide the contest. Yet their own ambition remained visible throughout, and even at 5-3 they continued attacking, with Dan Ballard and Malick Fofana both having clear chances that could have created an anxious conclusion.

Talking points

  • Should Maresca be concerned by the 4.25 expected goals Sunderland accumulated, or is it simply a by-product of their front-foot approach?
  • Was Donnarumma's handling of high balls a one-off, or a genuine weakness opponents will now target?
  • Is Brobbey now a must-start for Sunderland after his first senior hat-trick, or was this a case of City's defence gifting chances?
  • Does Haaland's scoring record against every Premier League opponent he has faced settle the debate over his all-round contribution?

What happens next

Manchester City head into the international break with five league wins from five and a three-point lead at the top. Sunderland leave without a point but with a performance that suggests they can trouble leading opposition, having already beaten European opposition on Wednesday. Both clubs return to Premier League action after the break.

Frequently asked questions

What was the final score of Manchester City vs Sunderland?

Manchester City beat Sunderland 5-3 at the Etihad Stadium in the Premier League.

Who scored Manchester City's goals against Sunderland?

Enzo Fernandez, Rayan Cherki, Antoine Semenyo (twice) and Erling Haaland scored for Manchester City.

Did Brian Brobbey score a hat-trick against Manchester City?

Yes, Brian Brobbey scored a hat-trick for Sunderland, his first senior hat-trick, though it was not enough to prevent a 5-3 defeat.

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