Manchester City head into the extended international break three points clear at the top of the Premier League after edging a completely bonkers, gloriously chaotic eight-goal thriller against Sunderland, winning 5-3.

2026/2027 Premier League

5-3

Match Report

Enzo Maresca's side knew that any positive result would see them open up a gap on nearest rivals Arsenal after Mikel Arteta's side slumped to defeat at Brighton. But Maresca surely did not plan to do it in the chaotic manner that transpired, with City trading blows with Sunderland as though it were a training match.

Enzo Fernandez's clever free-kick put City ahead inside nine minutes, but that was merely the beginning of the pandemonium. Rayan Cherki and Antoine Semenyo also found the net in a first half that produced five goals, with Sunderland's undefendable striker Brian Brobbey grabbing two.

City's performance was littered with mistakes, particularly defensively, as Brobbey bullied Ruben Dias and completed a remarkable 33-minute hat-trick after Semenyo had netted his second of the afternoon to make it 4-2 in favour of the hosts.

Erling Haaland had the final say, breaking his Sunderland duck to complete the Premier League set, having now found the net against every opponent he has faced in the English top flight. Just another astonishing subplot from a ridiculous afternoon.

As a whole, the game could not have been further removed from the picture of control so often associated with Pep Guardiola's City. Out of possession, Maresca's blueprint left them alarmingly open, with Sunderland needing little invitation to exploit the gaps. Brobbey, in particular, deserved far more reward for his performance.

Sunderland will leave the Etihad with plenty of credit after an attacking display that arguably outshone City's, registering nine shots on target and a significantly superior xG tally. City's players sank to their knees at the final whistle, a clear indication of just how close they had come to letting victory slip.

Match Events

0' The match is about to start!

6' Angulo receives a well-played pass and shoots, but his effort sails well wide

9' GOAL! Enzo fires the ball from the resulting free kick which sails into net! Man City 1-0 Sunderland

12' GOAL!  A terrific long pass finds unmarked Brobbey, who slams the ball in! Man City 1-1 Sunderland

28' Haaland latches onto a cross inside the box but fires a poor effort high over the bar

29' GOAL! Semenyo prods the ball to Cherki, who slots it into the net! Man City 2-1 Sunderland

33' GOAL! Brobbey receives a perfect pass and fires the ball into the empty net! Man City 2-2 Sunderland

42' Suspended Foden watches the game in stands

43' GOAL! Semenyo gets to the rebound and fires a daisy-cutter into the net! Man City 3-2 Sunderland

45' Ndiaye controls the ball and plays it for Haaland, but he fails to score in front of an open goal

48' Sadiki takes a shot from outside the box, but his effort flies high over the bar

57' GOAL! Semenyo gets to the ball after a mistake by opponent and slams it in! Man City 4-2 Sunderland

59' HAT-TRICK! Brobbey receives the ball, reacts quickly and fires the ball in! Man City 4-3 Sunderland

59' Anderson seems to have a hand ball inside the box, but the ref takes no action

64' Ruben Dias leaps high to meet a corner, but his header goes wide

69' Brobbey arrives to a rebound and unleashes a quick strike, but Dias makes a goal-line clearance

70' Gvardiol consecutively blocks Sunderland players efforts inside the box to thwart the danger

74' Doku comes on in place of Ndiaye

81' GOAL! Gvardiol provides an excellent cross for Haaland to extend the lead! Man City 5-3 Sunderland

85' O'Reilly receives a through pass inside the box, but his effort is denied by the keeper

Line-ups

Man City XI: Ruben Dias, Donnarumma, Elliot Anderson, Haaland, Guehi, Antoine Semenyo, Matheus Nunes, Cherki, Iliman Ndiaye, Gvardiol, Enzo

Subs: Gerónimo Rulli, Kovacic, Rayan Aït-Nouri, Doku, Lewis, Nico O'Reilly, Abdukodir Khusanov, Allan, Ayyoub Bouaddi

Sunderland XI: Meunier, Xhaka, Mukiele, Danso, Enzo Le Fée, Dan Ballard, Brian Brobbey, Robin Roefs, Nilson Angulo, Noah Sadiki, Dayann Méthalie

Subs: Omar Alderete, Luke O'Nien, Wilson Isidor, Trai Hume, Melker Ellborg, Malick Fofana, Chris Rigg, Chemsdine Talbi, Jules Ahoka