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Premier League roundup: Man City wins thriller against Sunderland

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MANCHESTER, England — No Pep Guardiola. No problem.

Not yet anyway for Manchester City after moving clear at the top of the Premier League on Sunday with a 5-3 win over Sunderland.

New coach Enzo Maresca extended his perfect winning start to the season to five games and goes into the international break three points ahead of defending champion Arsenal in second place.

But that doesn’t tell half the story of a chaotic match at the Etihad Stadium that saw City twice squander the lead and Sunderland striker Brian Brobbey outshine Erling Haaland with a hat trick.

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Eventually it was Haaland who ended the visitors’ brave fight with City’s fifth goal in the 81st minute.

Alexander Isak scored his fourth goal of the season as Liverpool beat Bournemouth 1-0, and Leeds drew 0-0 with Crystal Palace.

Maresca’s 100% record continues after taking on arguably the most daunting task in soccer when stepping into Guardiola’s shoes over the summer. Charged with the responsibility of continuing City’s unprecedented era of success, which included six league titles and the Champions League among 17 major trophies, he has made the best possible start in terms of results.

But City will likely have to tighten up defensively if it is to end a two-year title drought.

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Sunderland repeatedly cut City open, scoring three goals and creating numerous chances to add more.

City twice squandered leads in the first half before going in at the break 3-2 up.

Enzo Fernandez opened the scoring in the ninth minute with a free kick that curled into the near post, but Brobbey got in behind City’s defence to quickly level.

Rayan Cherki restored the home team’s advantage with a low effort from inside the area before Brobbey equalized for a second time as Sunderland again took advantage of slack City defending.

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Antoine Semenyo drilled a low shot past Sunderland goalkeeper Robin Roefs shortly before halftime and lashed home his second in the 57th to give City breathing room.

Brobbey completed his hat trick by forcing the ball over the line from close range and Ruben Dias had to clear off the line to avoid the game being leveled again with an own-goal.

Haaland’s seventh goal in his last five games avoided a tense finish.

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The Vikings’ Playoff Outlook | MIN Trying to Overcome Another NFC North Foe

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20 September 2026

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To be clear, the Vikings’ playoff outlook is still in its infancy. What’s nevertheless true: a win in September counts just as much as a win in December.

Minnesota will therefore be counting ’em up with the aim of having enough to qualify for the tournament to end the NFL season. At 1-0 and on the way to tango with the 1-0 Bears, the Vikings are looking to put the division on notice that they’re for real in 2026. Climbing up to first in the division at 2-0 would be an early statement.

The Vikings’ Playoff Outlook | So You’re Saying There’s a Chance

Vikings Game Info:

Bears QB Caleb Williams against the Vikings in 2025
Nov 16, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) under center for a snap during the second quarter against the Minnesota Vikings
at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

The Vikings will travel to Chicago for a Sunday, September 20th game. Kickoff is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. CT.

NFC Conference Rankings:

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  1. San Francisco 49ers: 1-0
  2. Seattle Seahawks: 1-0
  3. Minnesota Vikings: 1-0
  4. Chicago Bears: 1-0
  5. Arizona Cardinals: 1-0
  6. Philadelphia Eagles: 1-0
  7. New York Giants: 1-0
  8. Detroit Lions: 1-1
  9. Green Bay Packers: 0-1
  10. Atlanta Falcons: 0-1
  11. New Orleans Saints: 0-1
  12. Carolina Panthers: 0-1
  13. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 0-1
  14. Dallas Cowboys: 0-1
  15. Washington Commanders: 0-1
  16. Los Angeles Rams: 0-1

1 Game to Watch:

NFL: New Orleans Saints at Los Angeles Rams
Nov 2, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA;
Les Snead, general manager of the Los Angeles Rams shakes the hand of quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) following a game against the New Orleans Saints at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Keep an eye on the Giants and Rams on Monday Night Football. After a pile of hype, Los Angeles stunk in Australia. Part of the issue was edge rusher Myles Garrett playing poorly; he’s now injured and unavailable. Aaron Donald seems likely to make his return. Can LA figure things out? I won’t bet against them.

The NFL Prophets, Prognosticators, and Pundits:

NFL: Chicago Bears at Minnesota Vikings
Nov 16, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) greets Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison (3) following a game at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images

The folks over at ESPN all think that the Bears will win.

So do I, for whatever it’s worth.

Benjamin Solak predicts that the game will make for good viewing: “There isn’t a more fun schematic matchup in the entire league than Johnson versus Flores. This is Round 7 of their showdown. With a bad Bears defense on the other side of the ball, there should be explosive plays everywhere.”

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Thank you. But it’s time to become an assistant coach

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23 minutes ago

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20 September 2026

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Manchester City fans on social media have called out Ruben Dias despite their 5-3 win over Sunderland on Sunday, September 20. The defender nearly scored an own goal and looked shaky in defence against Sunderland.

Enzo Fernandez gave the hosts an early lead after scoring a brilliant free kick from a difficult angle in the ninth minute. Three minutes later, Brian Brobbey finished from close range to level the scores.

Rayan Cherki produced a decent finish from inside the box to give Manchester City the lead in the 29th minute. Four minutes later, Brobbey scored to make the score 2-2.

In the 43rd minute, Antoine Semenyo rifled the ball into the back of the net to make the score 3-2, and Semenyo also extended the hosts’ lead before the hour mark. Brobbey went on to reduce Sunderland’s deficit, but another from Haaland sealed a 5-3 win for the hosts. Meanwhile, Dias’s performance was a subject of discussion after registering an abysmal shift in defense.

The defender failed to make a defensive interception, won three out of seven ground duels, and lost the ball four times (via Sofascore). Fans took to X to complain about Dias’s performance against Sunderland after the game, with one tweeting:

“Ruben Dias. Thank you. But it’s time to become an assistant coach.”

Other fans posted:

“It’s better to have three points more than less” – Enzo Maresca on Manchester City’s lead in the Premier League standings

Manchester City v Sunderland - Premier League 2026/27 - Source: GettyManchester City v Sunderland - Premier League 2026/27 - Source: Getty
Manchester City v Sunderland – Premier League 2026/27 – Source: Getty

Enzo Maresca revealed that it is better to be three points ahead of rival Premier League teams than to be three points behind in the title race. The Citizens manager added that it is too early to talk about the title race.

Maresca responded to a question regarding his side overtaking Arsenal in the Premier League standings following their 5-3 win over Sunderland. He said (via City Xtra on X):

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“It’s better to have three points more than less – no doubt. But at the same time, we know that it’s quite early…”

Manchester City have registered a perfect start to their Premier League campaign after winning their first five games. The Citizens (15) are also three points ahead of second-placed Arsenal (12) in the standings.