Man City beat Sunderland 5-3 despite Brobbey hat-trick

Manchester City beat Sunderland 5-3 at the Etihad to make it five league wins from five and go three points clear at the top, though Brian Brobbey scored a hat-trick for the losing side.

Enzo Fernandez, who joined from Chelsea for £125m earlier this month, opened the scoring after nine minutes with a free kick at the near post. It was his first City goal. Sunderland levelled through Brobbey, then did so again after Rayan Cherki put City back in front. Antoine Semenyo made it 3-2 two minutes before half-time.

Sunderland kept pushing. Brobbey's deflected shot hit the bar. The visitors had 17 shots, eight on target, and an xG of 4.25. Brobbey is the first player to score a top-flight hat-trick and lose since Roque Santa Cruz for Blackburn in 2007.

Space behind the midfield will cost them at Anfield.

Gianluigi Donnarumma, in goal for City, had conceded only twice in the league before this match.

The trip to Anfield in three weeks would then be a sharper test than the one Sunderland set.