Manchester City defeated Sunderland 5-3 at the Etihad in a game marked by a frantic pace and constant twists and turns. The “Citizens” opened the scoring early, but the “Black Cats” responded with Brobbey, who scored a hat trick and kept his team in the game until the final ten minutes. City found solutions at crucial moments, with Serki and Semenyo restoring the lead, before Haaland sealed the final 5-3 score. With a 5-5 record and Arsenal’s loss, Maresca’s team now stands alone at the top of the standings.
More specifically, City opened the scoring in the 10th minute when Fernandes found the back of the net with his first goal as a “Citizen.” Sunderland responded immediately in the 12th minute with Brobey, who equalized to make it 1-1 and showed early on that the match would not be easy. In the 30th minute, Serki put City back in front, making it 2-1, but in the 34th minute, Brobbey struck again, tying the game at 2-2. Shortly before halftime, in the 43rd minute, Semenio made it 3-2, sending the home team into the locker room ahead.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
In the second half, City came out with the same intensity. In the 57th minute, Semenio scored again to make it 4-2, but in the 59th minute, Brombay completed his hat trick and narrowed the gap to 4-3, keeping the “Black Cats” in the game. The game remained wide open until the final ten minutes, when City found the goal they were looking for. In the 82nd minute, Haaland scored to make it 5-3; the goal was reviewed for offside and ruled good.
Liverpool secured a result that truly gives them some breathing room, as the 1-0 win at Bournemouth was only their second victory in this season’s Premier League. Anthony Iraola’s team, who returned to a familiar stadium to face his former team, once again showed defensive solidity and consistency in their game plan, keeping a clean sheet for the third consecutive match.
The first half was slow-paced with few clear-cut chances. Bournemouth threatened through Evanilson following a cross from Tavernier, but Alisson kept Liverpool in the game with a quick reflex save in the corner. The “Reds” had one notable chance through Barkola, but Petrovic made a solid save.
In the second half, the home team came out more aggressively and created two good chances through Christie. Nevertheless, it was Liverpool who scored the goal (57′) that decided the match. After a cross from Hakpo, the ball deflected off Wirch and fell to Isaac, who scored from close range to make it 1-0 and give the “Reds” the lead they ultimately held until the end.
Finally, Leeds and Crystal Palace played to a 0-0 draw at Elland Road in a match that lacked much excitement. The “Peacocks” remained undefeated in this season’s Premier League, while the Londoners picked up an important away point at a stadium that traditionally poses a challenge for opponents.
The first half was played at a slow pace, with few clear-cut chances and both teams struggling to find their rhythm. Leeds had more possession but failed to turn it into a threat, while Palace looked to break quickly but couldn’t create a shot on goal that would trouble Meslier. In the second half, Palace came out with more determination and, in the 52nd minute, found the back of the net through Mitchell, but the goal was correctly disallowed for offside. From that point on, the game evened out again, with both teams trying to ramp up the intensity but failing to create any major chances. The score remained 0-0 until the end, which fully reflects the nature of the match.
Here’s a breakdown of Matchday 5 of the Premier League:
Friday, September 18
Brentford–Chelsea 3–0
(86’ Gallagher, 90’+8’ Van Hekke – 61’ Anthony, 83’ Thiago, 90’+4’ Carvalho)
Saturday, September 19
Tottenham–Aston Villa 0–3
(45’+4′ Manzabi, 67′ Jackson, 79′ Buendía)
Brighton–Arsenal 3–0
(31′ Gross, 45′ Kostoulas, 57′ Andrés)
Everton vs. Ipswich 1-0
(11' Barry)
Newcastle–Hull 2–1
(3′ Willock, 7′ Hall – 67′ Cho)
Nottingham Forest–Coventry 0–1
(55′ Da Silva)
Sunday, September 20
Bournemouth vs. Liverpool 0-1
(57' Isaac)
Leeds–Crystal Palace 0–0
Manchester City vs. Sunderland 5-3
(9' Fernandes, 29′ Serki, 43′, 57′ Semenyo, 81′ Haaland – 12′, 33′, 59′ Brobbey)
Fulham vs. Manchester United (6:30 p.m.)
*photo source: AP
