Manchester City sent a message to Arsenal with this chaotic victory that takes Enzo Maresca’s team three points clear as leaders for the three-week international break. Until the Premier League resumes on 10 October City can enjoy their view from the top while Mikel Arteta’s champions have to stew following Saturday’s 3-0 humbling at Brighton. Yet Maresca will review this game because City lacked control and may not have enjoyed a 5-3 win that featured two Antoine Semenyo strikes for them, a Brian Brobbey hat-trick for Sunderland, with Enzo Fernández, Rayan Cherki and Erling Haaland the other scorers.
Maresca’s side are entertaining for the neutral and heart-palpitating for the manager. When the normally calm Rúben Dias hit the ball towards his goal and scrambled to hoof off the line, this was City in microcosm, versus Régis Le Bris’ potent visitors. The conclusion, though, from the season opening phase is that City will compete with the Gunners to the end of the title race - providing they become less fragile.
Sunderland conceded first by allowing a break at corner that ended in Dayann Methalie chopping down Iliman Ndiaye. Next came a moment of high Fernández skill from a free-kick along the right-hand edge of the box. City’s No 17 asked Ndiaye to alter position in the area, then guided the ball straight home, on the near side, his instruction to the winger hoodwinking Robin Roefs, Sunderland’s No 1, who ended up on his backside.
It was a first goal for Fernández goal since his equaliser in the World Cup semi-final for Argentina against England and was an excellent moment for City, only for them to fall asleep seconds later. Enzo Le Fée is one of Sunderland’s star acts and the pinpoint pass into Brobbey that split Dias and Matheus Nunes showed why. The No 9’s first touch was smart, allowing him to then beat, with the outside of his right boot, the onrushing Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Maresca had billed the contest as City’s toughest so far and you saw now that this was not regulation respectful manager-speak. Le Bris’ side pinged the ball about and were quick to fire it into the danger area. Yet, when feeling too comfortable while playing out from the back, City pounced again.
Kevin Danso’s loose pass from his area was nabbed by Ndiaye and the ball went instantly to Haaland near the penalty spot. Semenyo took over, tapped to Cherki and the Frenchman made space and threaded in. That made it 2-1 to City with half an hour gone.
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