Manchester City maintained their perfect start to the Premier League season with a dramatic 5-3 victory over Sunderland on Sunday, September 20, 2026, as Antoine Semenyo scored twice and Brian Brobbey's remarkable hat-trick proved insufficient to rescue the visitors.

The eight-goal encounter at the Etihad Stadium saw Sunderland repeatedly fight back against Enzo Maresca's side before Erling Haaland's late goal finally put the result beyond doubt.

The victory took Manchester City to 15 points from five matches, three points clear at the top of the Premier League table heading into the international break.

City opened the scoring in the ninth minute when summer signing Enzo Fernández caught Sunderland goalkeeper Robin Roefs off guard with a clever free-kick from a tight angle.

However, Sunderland responded almost immediately.

Brian Brobbey levelled the score in the 12th minute after Enzo Le Fée played him through on goal, allowing the striker to lift the ball over City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.

The hosts regained their advantage in the 29th minute when Rayan Cherki collected a pass from Semenyo and fired a low shot through a crowded penalty area.

But Sunderland refused to go away.

Four minutes later, Brobbey struck again, converting Thomas Meunier's cross to make it 2-2. The goal survived a VAR review for a possible offside.

Semenyo restored Manchester City's lead in the 43rd minute, firing home after the ball fell to him inside the penalty area.

The goal gave City a 3-2 advantage at half-time, bringing an extraordinary opening period to an end.

Semenyo extended the lead in the 57th minute, capitalising on poor Sunderland defending to score his second goal of the afternoon and put the hosts 4-2 ahead.

Yet the visitors still had another response.

Just two minutes later, Brobbey completed his hat-trick with a close-range finish after meeting Nilson Angulo's header, reducing the deficit to 4-3.

The goal meant Brobbey had scored all three of Sunderland's goals, but his efforts were not enough to prevent City from securing their fifth consecutive league victory.

With Sunderland still searching for an equaliser, City survived a dangerous moment when defender Rúben Dias had to clear the ball off his own goal line following an awkward touch.

The hosts eventually secured the result in the 81st minute when Haaland converted Joško Gvardiol's cross.

The assistant referee initially raised the flag for offside, but VAR overturned the decision and allowed the goal to stand.

Haaland's strike completed the 5-3 victory, leaving Sunderland with nothing to show for Brobbey's three-goal performance.

Speaking after the match, Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca acknowledged that Sunderland had made the encounter difficult for his side.

Maresca said he would have preferred a more comfortable 1-0 victory but was pleased that his players found a way to secure the result.

Semenyo also acknowledged the challenge posed by the visitors, saying City had to remain united throughout the match to claim all three points.

The victory means Manchester City enter the international break as the only Premier League team to have won all five of their opening league fixtures.

City's next Premier League assignment is an away trip to Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday, October 11, while Sunderland are scheduled to host Brighton on Saturday, October 10.

For Sunderland, Brobbey's hat-trick will stand out from an extraordinary afternoon at the Etihad, although the visitors' three goals were ultimately overshadowed by City's five.