Manchester City moved three points clear of Arsenal at the top of the Premier League by overcoming a Sunderland side that drew twice as part of a Brian Brobbey hat-trick at the Etihad Stadium.
Enzo Fernandez fired in a free-kick for City’s first goal from the £125m signing before Brobbey hit the first of two first-half equalisers, also responding to Rayan Cherki’s finish.
Antoine Semenyo scores his first goal of the season! 🎯 pic.twitter.com/1n2W5Cyxz0
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) September 20, 2026
Antoine Semenyo He dragged to put Enzo Maresca’s side 3-2 ahead and Brobbey hit the crossbar just before the break, only for Semenyo to score again and the Dutch forward completed his hat-trick.
Erling Haaland He then ended his drought against Sunderland, scoring against the only team he had failed to score against in the Premier League in his third game against the Black Cats as the hosts went into the international break with a cushion at the top.
Brian Brobbey levels it again! 🤯 pic.twitter.com/YvelzwnmY8
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) September 20, 2026
Rayan Cherki puts Manchester City in front again! 💫 pic.twitter.com/PP4MAV9kw3
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) September 20, 2026
Instant response from Sunderland as Brian Brobbey equalises! 💥 pic.twitter.com/et6AHGPAbl
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) September 20, 2026
Enzo Fernandez scores his first Manchester City goal in style! 🤩 pic.twitter.com/fVOnJvACYY
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) September 20, 2026
More to follow
Man City vs Sunderland team
City made 10 changes from their win against Norwich, with their only change from their 1-0 win at Manchester United a week earlier an enforced one.
Phil Foden’s red card in that game meant the playmaker was replaced by winger Iliman Ndiaye. Wideman Jeremy Doku appeared in a Premier League squad for the first time this season after injury, starting on the bench.
Manchester City: Gianluigi Donnarumma, Matheus Nunes, Ruben Dias, Marc Guehi, Josko Gvardiol, Elliot Anderson, Enzo Fernandez, Iliman Ndiaye, Rayan Cherki, Antoine Semenyo, Erling Haaland
Substitutes: Geronimo Rulli, Mateo Kovacic, Jeremy Doku, Ryan Ait-Nouri, Ayyoub Bouaddi, Nico O’Reilly, Allan, Abdukodir Khusanov, Rico Lewis
Sunderland team vs Manchester City
Sunderland made five changes to his starting line-up from the win over AZ, bringing in Meunier, Dayann Methalie, Dan Ballard, Nilson Angulo and Brobbey.
Left-back Reinildo was sent off, and France Under-21 international Methalie made his first Premier League start. Romaine Mundle (knee) and Habib Diarra (hamstring) were sidelined.
Wilson Isidor, Omar Alderete, Reinildo, Trai Hume and Malick Fofana went to the bench.
Sunderland: Robin Roefs, Nordi Mukiele, Kevin Danso, Dan Ballard, Diann Methalie, Granit Xhaka, Noah Sadiki, Thomas Meunier, Enzo Le Fee, Nilson Angulo, Brian Brobbey
Substitutes: Melker Ellborg, Trai Hume, Luke O’Nien, Omar Alderete, Jules Ahoka, Chris Rigg, Chemsdine Talbi, Malick Fofana, Wilson Isidor
Manchester City vs Sunderland Stats
- City are unbeaten in 15 Premier League games at home against Sunderland (13 wins, 2 draws), with their last league defeat against the Black Cats coming in January 1998 (1-0).
- They have previously started a top-flight season with five consecutive wins in 1912/13 (as part of a five-match winning streak), 2015/16 (5), 2016/17 (6) and 2023/24 (6).
- Despite losing Phil Foden for the first half, City won 1-0 against Man United on matchday four last Sunday for their 24th Premier League win despite being sent off, with only Arsenal (38) and Man Utd (25) achieving the feat more times.
- Maresca became the sixth manager to win his first five Premier League games in charge of a club, following Carlo Ancelotti at Chelsea (6), Pep Guardiola at Man City (6), Craig Shakespeare at Leicester (5), Maurizio Sarri at Chelsea (5) and Ole Gunnar Solskjær at Man United (6).
- With two defeats in their previous 30 Premier League games (20 wins and 8 draws), City’s total of 68 points was the joint-highest of any team since the start of that run on November 29 last year, level with Arsenal.
- Sunderland are winless in 10 Premier League games against Manchester City (2-D-8) since a 1-0 home win in November 2013 under Gus Poyet.
- They have scored in each of their last nine Premier League away games, which is their best run of goals away from home in the top flight since a run of eight between November and February in 2015/16, with the last longer streak running between April and October 1956 (10).
- Since a 2-1 win at Chelsea in April 2014, Sunderland are winless in 18 Premier League games against teams that start the day in the top two (D4 L14).
- Erling Haaland has scored in nine of his last 10 appearances for a total of 11 goals.
- Enzo Le Fee has six goals, six assists and six penalties in the Premier League for Sunderland, making the midfielder one of only two players to have scored more than once in the competition with equal totals for goals, assists and penalties, along with Gary McSheffrey (3 each).
