Manchester City maintained their perfect start to the Premier League season with a breathless 5-3 victory over Sunderland at the Etihad Stadium, surviving a brilliant Brian Brobbey hat-trick to move three points clear at the summit.
The hosts struck first in the ninth minute when Enzo Fernández marked his first Manchester City goal with a well-placed free-kick. Sunderland, however, responded almost immediately. Enzo Le Fée supplied the delivery and Brobbey found the finish three minutes later, punishing City’s early defensive vulnerability and restoring parity.
City regained the lead through Rayan Cherki in the 29th minute, but Sunderland again refused to retreat. Brobbey scored his second on 33 minutes, ensuring the visitors remained level in a first half that swung wildly from one end to the other. Antoine Semenyo then gave City a 3-2 interval lead with a goal just before half-time, rewarding the home side’s attacking pressure after another chaotic exchange.
Semenyo appeared to have put City in control when he scored his second goal in the 57th minute. Yet Sunderland struck back again two minutes later, as Brobbey completed his hat-trick to make it 4-3. The Dutch striker’s strength, movement and finishing repeatedly unsettled City’s defence, turning what had seemed likely to become a routine home win into a tense final half-hour.
Erling Haaland finally settled the contest in the 81st minute. Joško Gvardiol supplied a low cross and Haaland converted from close range, with VAR overturning an initial offside decision. The goal made the result secure and completed a remarkable eight-goal encounter.
City’s attacking quality proved decisive, with Fernández, Cherki, Semenyo and Haaland all finding the net. But the match also exposed defensive issues that will concern Enzo Maresca during the international break, as Sunderland created enough danger to score three times and remain in contention until the closing stages.
For Sunderland, defeat was painful but Brobbey’s performance was unforgettable. His three goals made him the first player to score a Premier League hat-trick against Manchester City since Jamie Vardy in 2020, although he also became only the fifth different player to score a Premier League treble in a losing cause.
