Manchester [UK], September 20 (ANI): Manchester City edged Sunderland 5-3 in an eight-goal thriller at the Etihad Stadium to move three points clear at the top of the Premier League table, extending their unbeaten home head-to-head record against the visitors to 15 matches.
In a pulsating Round 5 encounter, Antoine Semenyo scored twice, while Erling Haaland, Rayan Cherki and Enzo Fernandez also found the net for City. Sunderland’s Brian Brobbey struck a hat-trick, but the visitors were unable to complete a comeback against a City side that continued to look vulnerable at the back.
With the help of his 80th-minute goal, Haaland has now scored against every team he's faced in the Premier League.
Set complete ✅@Erling Haaland has now scored against every team he's faced in the Premier League! pic.twitter.com/xw8Wisp8R1
— Premier League (@premierleague) September 20, 2026
With Arsenal having suffered defeat on Saturday, City had an opportunity to make an early statement in the title race and took the lead inside the opening 10 minutes.
Fernandez opened the scoring with an inventive free-kick from an acute angle, catching Sunderland goalkeeper Robin Roefs off guard at his near post.
Sunderland responded quickly, however, with Brobbey equalising after being played through by an inch-perfect pass from Enzo Le Fee. The forward made no mistake, guiding the ball into the corner to bring the visitors back on level terms.
City regained the advantage midway through the first half after Sunderland lost possession in their own defensive third. Cherki worked space inside the penalty area before sending a low effort into the bottom corner to make it 2-1.
But the visitors once again found a way back into the contest. Stand-in winger Thomas Meunier broke behind the City defence and kept his composure before squaring the ball for Brobbey, who tapped into an empty net to complete his brace.
City restored their lead before half-time through Semenyo, who reacted quickest after a scramble inside the Sunderland penalty area and hammered the ball home.
Haaland had a chance to give the hosts a two-goal cushion before the break, but missed an open goal after Iliman Ndiaye’s dazzling footwork had left Roefs on the ground.
The missed opportunity did not prove costly for long, as City extended their advantage shortly after the restart. Semenyo found space and curled an effort into the far corner to make it 4-2, completing his brace and seemingly putting the hosts in control.
Sunderland, however, refused to give in. Brobbey completed his hat-trick with another close-range finish, becoming the first Sunderland player to score a Premier League hat-trick since Jermain Defoe in 2016.
The Dutch forward’s third goal kept the visitors within touching distance and ensured the closing stages remained tense, with City struggling to fully contain Sunderland’s attacking threat.
City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma nearly handed Sunderland another opportunity when he was beaten in the air by Dan Ballard. The defender’s header appeared destined for the net, but Rúben Dias cleared the ball off the line to preserve City’s lead.
With Sunderland continuing to push for an equaliser, City eventually made the result more secure in the final 10 minutes.
Haaland found the net to score City’s fifth goal, ending his wait for a Premier League goal against the only side he had not previously scored against in the competition.
The goal put the result beyond Sunderland’s reach and sealed a victory that sent City into the international break three points clear at the top of the Premier League table.
For Sunderland, the defeat came after Wednesday’s Europa League victory over AZ Alkmaar and served as a reminder of the challenge of competing against the league’s leading sides.
Brobbey’s hat-trick was a significant individual achievement, but it was not enough to prevent Sunderland from leaving the Etihad empty-handed.
City’s attacking quality ultimately proved decisive in a contest in which both teams repeatedly found ways through the opposition defence. The hosts scored five times but were also exposed by Sunderland’s pace and movement, leaving room for improvement despite the three points.
The result extended City’s unbeaten Premier League home head-to-head run against Sunderland to 15 matches and gave them an early advantage at the summit ahead of the three-week international break. (ANI)
