Manchester City extended their perfect start to the Premier League season with a 5-3 victory over Sunderland at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday, moving three points clear at the top of the table. The match was a dramatic encounter highlighted by a hattrick from Sunderland’s Dutch forward Brian Brobbey, who became the first player since 2007 to score three goals in a Premier League game yet finish on the losing side.

City manager Enzo Maresca acknowledged the defensive lapses but was pleased his team managed to secure the win in a challenging fixture. “To be honest, I prefer to win 1-0 than 5-3 but I expected a very difficult game,” Maresca said. He praised Sunderland’s aggressive off-the-ball play, their effectiveness on set pieces, and Brobbey’s threat, which combined to test his side significantly.

Despite the concession of three goals, Maresca highlighted the importance of experience gained throughout the season, referring to the team’s varied performances in their seven consecutive wins across competitions. “These seven official games we played they are all different,” he said, noting challenges such as playing with 10 men against Manchester United and coming from behind against Bournemouth.

Sunderland head coach Regis Le Bris expressed satisfaction with his squad’s performance despite the defeat. He singled out Brobbey, who had not scored prior to this match, for praise. “I’m really pleased for him because it’s never easy to have a long period without scoring. Now it’s done,” Le Bris remarked.

The Sunderland manager also noted that his team created numerous chances and at various points controlled the match, suggesting the scoreline could have been even more favorable for the visitors. “We created many chances. Probably deserved to score two or three more goals so it was really tight,” he said. He added that the key lesson was the fine margins at this level, where even half chances are often punished against one of Europe’s best teams.

Manchester City’s goals came from Antoine Semenyo, who scored twice, as well as Enzo Fernandez, Rayan Cherki, and Erling Haaland, whose combined offensive prowess ensured City’s continued dominance early in the campaign despite defensive vulnerabilities.