Manchester City beat Sunderland 5-3 to keep perfect league start

Manchester City beat Sunderland 5-3 on 20 September to maintain a perfect start to the Premier League season and move three points clear at the top, according to the league’s match review.

The lead changed hands repeatedly in a lively first half. Enzo Fernandez opened the scoring for City, while Brian Brobbey twice equalised for Sunderland. Antoine Semenyo put City ahead for a third time before half-time and scored again after the break.

Brobbey completed a hat-trick, but Erling Haaland added City’s fifth goal late on. The league said it was the first Sunderland Premier League hat-trick since Jermain Defoe in 2016. City’s attack secured the points despite conceding three goals.

Elsewhere in Sunday’s matches, Liverpool beat Bournemouth 1-0 through Alexander Isak’s second-half goal. Manchester United drew 1-1 with Fulham after Matheus Cunha’s late equaliser, while Crystal Palace and Leeds United played out a goalless draw.

Source: Premier League, 20 September 2026.