Manchester City moved three points clear at the top of the Premier League after surviving an eight-goal thriller against Sunderland at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.
City led three times in the first half and were pegged back twice. Enzo Fernández curled in a ninth-minute free kick for his first goal since joining from Chelsea, but Brian Brobbey equalised within minutes. Rayan Cherki restored the lead before Brobbey struck again, and Antoine Semenyo put City 3-2 up just before the break.
Brobbey’s hat-trick keeps it alive
Semenyo added his second early in the second half, only for Brobbey to complete his first senior hat-trick two minutes later. Sunderland kept pushing and needed a goal-line clearance from Rúben Dias to stop an equaliser, before Erling Haaland settled it in the 81st minute, turning in a Joško Gvardiol cross that stood after a VAR check.
Maresca’s perfect start
New coach Enzo Maresca has won all five of his league games in charge and City go into the international break ahead of defending champions Arsenal. Maresca admitted afterwards that he would rather win 1-0, saying two of the goals his side conceded were far too easy.
Elsewhere on Sunday, Alexander Isak scored his fourth goal of the season as Liverpool beat Bournemouth 1-0, and Leeds drew 0-0 with Crystal Palace.
