Enzo Maresca’s side opened the scoring within nine minutes when Enzo Fernández curled a free‑kick past the Sunderland goalkeeper, but the match quickly turned into a goal‑fest. Rayan Cherki doubled City’s lead before the break, while Sunderland responded through Antoine Semenyo and striker Brian Brobbey, who netted twice in the first half, leaving the score at 3‑2 at halftime.
The second half saw Brobbey complete a remarkable 33‑minute hat‑trick, exploiting defensive lapses by City’s back line, particularly against Ruben Dias. Sunderland’s relentless attack produced nine shots on target and a higher expected‑goals (xG) figure than the home side, underscoring how vulnerable the champions were on the day.
City finally restored control when Erling Haaland scored the fifth goal, his first against Sunderland and the final piece needed to complete a Premier League set of goals against every opponent he has faced in England. The win, however, was marred by defensive errors that left the Etihad crowd on its feet and the players kneeling at the final whistle.
The result comes after Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta saw his side slip to defeat at Brighton, allowing City to pull three points clear at the summit. With the international break looming, the victory gives Maresca’s men a cushion but also highlights areas – especially defensive organization – that will need tightening before the title race intensifies.