The Man City 5-3 Sunderland highlights tell the story of one of the most extraordinary Premier League matches of the early 2026/27 season. Eight goals were scored at the Etihad Stadium, the lead changed hands repeatedly, Sunderland produced a remarkable attacking display and Erling Haaland eventually delivered the final moment of the afternoon.
Manchester City entered the fixture looking to maintain their perfect start to the Premier League campaign. They achieved that objective, but the route to victory was anything but straightforward.
Sunderland repeatedly challenged the home side and refused to surrender despite falling behind. Brian Brobbey became the centre of attention for the visitors after scoring a spectacular hat-trick, while Antoine Semenyo scored twice for City.
The final twist came when Haaland found the net in the closing stages.
His goal made the score 5-3 and completed a remarkable personal milestone: the Norwegian had now scored against every Premier League opponent he had faced.
Enzo Fernandez Opens the Scoring
The match began at a frantic pace. Manchester City took the lead in the ninth minute through Enzo Fernandez.
The midfielder produced a clever free-kick from a tight angle that caught Sunderland goalkeeper Robin Roefs by surprise. The ball found its way into the net, giving City an early 1-0 advantage.
It was the kind of opening goal that appeared capable of setting the tone for a controlled Manchester City performance.
Instead, it proved to be the beginning of an extraordinary goal exchange.
Sunderland refused to allow the early setback to affect their approach.
Just three minutes later, the visitors were level.
Brobbey Responds Immediately
Brian Brobbey equalised in the 12th minute. Enzo Le Fee supplied an excellent through ball, allowing Brobbey to attack the space behind the City defence.
The Sunderland striker remained composed before finishing with the outside of his boot.
Suddenly, the game was level at 1-1.
The equaliser demonstrated one of Sunderland’s biggest strengths throughout the afternoon: their willingness to attack Manchester City rather than retreat into a purely defensive shape.
Brobbey’s movement immediately caused problems for City’s defenders, particularly Ruben Dias.
The striker’s physical strength allowed him to hold off challenges, while his pace gave Sunderland an outlet whenever they recovered possession.
The opening 12 minutes had already produced two goals.
The match was only beginning.
Cherki Restores the City Advantage
Manchester City regained the lead in the 29th minute.
Rayan Cherki capitalised after Sunderland were caught attempting to play the ball out from the back.
City’s pressure created the opportunity, and Cherki made no mistake.
His finish put Manchester City 2-1 ahead.
Again, it appeared that City had regained control.
But Sunderland’s response was immediate once more.
The visitors continued to attack, and Brobbey remained a constant threat.
Brobbey Strikes Again
In the 33rd minute, Brobbey scored his second goal of the afternoon.
The move involved Le Fee and Thomas Meunier, with Brobbey eventually finding the net.
The goal initially required a lengthy review for a potential offside, but VAR confirmed that the striker was onside.
The score was now 2-2.
Remarkably, Brobbey had scored twice in just 21 minutes.
For Manchester City, the defensive problems were becoming increasingly obvious.
Sunderland were not simply scoring through fortunate deflections or isolated mistakes.
They were repeatedly finding space around City’s defensive structure.
Semenyo Restores City’s Lead for a Third Time
Manchester City once again moved ahead before half-time.
Antoine Semenyo scored in the 43rd minute.
The forward produced a powerful finish after Marc Guehi kept the ball alive inside the Sunderland penalty area.
The goal made it 3-2.
It was an unusual first-half statistic: City had taken the lead three separate times before the interval.
According to Sky Sports, it was only the seventh match in Premier League history in which a team had led three times during the first half.
The scoreline therefore did not merely represent an entertaining half.
It represented an extremely unusual sequence of events.
Manchester City had scored three goals.
Sunderland had scored twice.
And there were still 45 minutes remaining.
Semenyo Scores Again
The second half began with Manchester City searching for a little more security.
They found another goal in the 57th minute.
Semenyo scored his second of the afternoon to make it 4-2.
His finish extended City’s advantage and appeared to give the hosts the breathing room they needed.
For Sunderland, however, the two-goal deficit was not enough to end their hopes.
Brobbey was still causing problems.
And only two minutes later, Sunderland had another goal.
Brobbey Completes His Hat-Trick
In the 59th minute, Brobbey completed his hat-trick.
Nilson Angulo delivered the cross, and the striker finished the move to reduce the deficit to 4-3.
The goal transformed the match once again.
Manchester City had moved two goals clear.
Sunderland were suddenly only one goal behind.
Brobbey had scored all three of Sunderland’s goals.
The hat-trick also carried historical significance. He became the first Sunderland player to score a Premier League hat-trick since Jermain Defoe in 2016. He also became only the sixth player in Premier League history to score a hat-trick and still finish on the losing side.
It was an extraordinary individual performance.
Unfortunately for Sunderland, it did not produce a point.
Sunderland Nearly Complete the Comeback
At 4-3, the momentum appeared to be shifting.
Sunderland had already recovered from three separate City leads.
Manchester City were struggling to establish the control normally associated with their possession-based football.
The visitors continued to create opportunities.
City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma was forced into important interventions, while Ruben Dias also produced a crucial goal-line clearance after a dangerous Sunderland attack.
The pressure was real.
Manchester City knew that one more Sunderland goal would level the contest.
The Etihad atmosphere became increasingly tense.
Haaland Provides the Final Twist
Then came the moment that changed everything.
In the 81st minute, Erling Haaland scored Manchester City’s fifth goal.
Josko Gvardiol provided the assist, and Haaland finished the move to make it 5-3.
The goal effectively ended Sunderland’s hopes of completing the comeback.
It also completed a remarkable achievement for Haaland.
Sunderland had been the only Premier League opponent he had faced without scoring against.
That was no longer the case.
The Norwegian had now scored against all 25 Premier League opponents he had encountered in England’s top flight.
The goal therefore carried significance beyond the final score.
Haaland Completes His Premier League Collection
Haaland’s scoring record has become one of the defining statistical stories of his Premier League career.
His extraordinary consistency means that very few opponents have escaped his finishing.
Sunderland had been the exception.
The 81st-minute goal removed that final gap.
The timing was also perfect for City.
At 4-3, Sunderland were still capable of producing an equaliser.
Haaland’s goal provided the decisive cushion.
It was therefore both a personal milestone and a crucial contribution to the team’s victory.
For a striker, scoring against every opponent faced is a reflection of adaptability.
Different teams defend differently.
Some sit deep.
Some press aggressively.
Some rely on physical centre-backs.
Others attempt to deny space between the lines.
Haaland has now found a way to score against all of them.
Eight Goals and Almost No Control
The final scoreline suggested a spectacular attacking battle.
However, the match also exposed defensive weaknesses for both sides.
Manchester City conceded three goals at home.
Sunderland scored three times despite eventually losing.
The Premier League reported that Sunderland actually generated a higher expected-goals figure than City, with 4.32 compared with City’s 2.72.
That statistic highlights how competitive the match really was.
City scored five, but Sunderland created enough opportunities to make the result extremely uncomfortable for the hosts.
This was not a routine victory.
It was a victory secured through attacking efficiency and persistence.
Brobbey’s Outstanding Performance
Although Sunderland left the Etihad without points, Brobbey’s performance deserves particular attention.
His three goals came in different situations, demonstrating his ability to combine movement, strength and finishing.
He repeatedly challenged Dias physically and gave Sunderland an effective target when they attacked directly.
Sky Sports analysis noted that Brobbey won 10 of the 12 duels he contested and drew five fouls, underlining the physical impact he had on the game.
His hat-trick also provided evidence of Sunderland’s attacking potential.
The visitors did not simply hope for a mistake from City.
They created opportunities through their own attacking structure.
Brobbey was at the heart of that approach.
Manchester City’s Attacking Quality
While the defensive performance raised questions, City’s attacking quality was impressive.
Five different moments ultimately shaped the scoreline.
Fernandez provided the clever opening free-kick.
Cherki capitalised on a defensive mistake.
Semenyo scored twice.
And Haaland completed the scoring.
This variety is one of the reasons Manchester City remain so dangerous.
Opponents cannot simply focus on one player.
If Haaland receives close attention, space can emerge for other attackers.
If City attack through the wide areas, their forwards can arrive in the penalty area.
If opponents attempt to build from the back, City’s pressure can create turnovers.
The Sunderland match demonstrated several of these qualities.
Semenyo’s Brace Is Another Major Highlight
Haaland’s goal understandably became one of the biggest talking points, but Semenyo’s performance was equally important to the final result.
The forward scored City’s third and fourth goals.
His first strike arrived shortly before half-time, restoring City’s lead at a crucial moment.
His second came 12 minutes into the second half and gave City a two-goal advantage.
Without those goals, Sunderland’s comeback might have produced an entirely different result.
Semenyo’s contribution also shows how important attacking depth can be during a long Premier League season.
City do not need to rely on Haaland for every goal.
They have multiple players capable of changing matches.
Why Sunderland Deserve Credit
Sunderland’s defeat should not obscure the quality of their performance.
They arrived at the Etihad against a Manchester City team that had won every Premier League match at the beginning of the season.
Instead of sitting deep and hoping to survive, Sunderland attacked.
They scored three goals.
They produced nine shots on target.
And they generated more expected goals than their opponents.
That approach created problems for City.
Sunderland manager Régis Le Bris said afterward that his team had gone “toe to toe” with one of Europe’s leading sides and had maintained its identity.
The result was disappointing, but the performance provided evidence that Sunderland can compete with ambitious football.
Also Read:
