Manchester City secured a thrilling 5-3 victory over Sunderland at the Etihad Stadium on September 20, 2026. The match was a dramatic affair, with City's Erling Haaland scoring the fifth goal for his team in the 82nd minute, which also marked his 10th goal of the season. This win extends City's unbeaten run under new coach Enzo Maresca to seven consecutive matches.
Sunderland's Brian Brobbey put up a remarkable performance, scoring a hat-trick for his team. His goals were the first of the season for him, and he became the first player in 19 years to score a hat-trick against Manchester City, despite his team losing the match. City's Enzo Fernández opened the scoring within the first 10 minutes, but Sunderland's Brobbey equalized shortly after.
The match saw several twists and turns, with Rayan Cherki restoring City's lead before Brobbey equalized again. Antoine Semenyo then scored the third goal for City before halftime. In the second half, Semenyo added another goal, making it 4-2 in favor of City. However, Brobbey completed his hat-trick shortly after, reducing the deficit to one goal.
Sunderland continued to push for an equalizing goal, but Haaland's goal in the 82nd minute sealed the win for City. This goal also marked a significant milestone for Haaland, as Sunderland was the only Premier League team he had not scored against previously. With this goal, he has now scored against every Premier League team he has faced.
The win takes Manchester City to the top of the Premier League table, with a three-point lead. Under Maresca, City has achieved a 100% win record in their first seven matches. This impressive start to the season has put City in a strong position to challenge for the top honors.
Sunderland, despite the loss, showed resilience and a fighting spirit, with Brobbey's hat-trick being a highlight of their performance. However, they were unable to capitalize on their momentum and ultimately succumbed to City's superior firepower. The match ended with a thrilling display of attacking football, entertaining the crowd at the Etihad Stadium.
The result and Haaland's record-breaking goal have generated significant excitement and attention in the football world. As the season progresses, it will be interesting to see if City can maintain their winning momentum and if Haaland can continue to break records and score crucial goals for his team.
Key points
- Erling Haaland scored his 10th goal of the season and set a new record by scoring against all Premier League teams.
- Manchester City extended their unbeaten run under Enzo Maresca to seven consecutive matches.
- Sunderland's Brian Brobbey scored a hat-trick, becoming the first player in 19 years to achieve this feat against Manchester City.
