Man City beat Sunderland 5-3 despite Brobbey hat-trick; Liverpool win

Manchester City defeated Sunderland 5-3 at the Etihad Stadium on September 20, 2026, keeping their perfect start under new boss Enzo Maresca. Enzo Fernandez opened the scoring with a free-kick shortly after his club-record £125m move from Chelsea. Rayan Cherki restored City's lead before Brian Brobbey completed a hat-trick for Sunderland, keeping the Black Cats in the game. Antoine Semenyo gave Sunderland two more leads, but Erling Haaland eventually sealed the win for City. The result gives City a three-point advantage at the top of the Premier League.

Elsewhere, Liverpool beat Bournemouth 1-0 at Vitality Stadium, with Alexander Isak scoring his fourth goal of the season from Cody Gakpo's cross. The win moves Liverpool up to sixth place, within a point of third-placed Brighton. Arsenal suffered a shock 3-0 defeat at Brighton, while Leeds were held 0-0 by Crystal Palace at home. Manchester United have taken just four points from their opening four games and were knocked out of the League Cup by Brighton after surrendering a 2-0 lead.

These results shape the early title race and European qualification battle. City's consistency under Maresca signals a serious challenge for the league crown, while Liverpool's win keeps them in the top-four hunt. Arsenal's loss raises questions about their title credentials, and United's struggles continue.

With City stretching their lead, will Liverpool's win keep them in contention for a top-four finish, or should fans brace for another City-dominated season?

SOURCE: https://www.channelstv.com/2026/09/20/man-city-outgun-sunderland-liverpool-win-at-bournemouth/