Manchester City went top of the Premier League despite Brian Brobbey's hat-trick in a 5-3 thriller on Sunday as Matheus Cunha rescued Manchester United from another damaging defeat at Fulham.
City took advantage of Arsenal's shock 3-0 defeat at Brighton on Saturday but made life hard for themselves despite taking the lead three times at the Etihad Stadium.
Enzo Fernandez opened the scoring with his first goal since equalling the Premier League transfer record with a £125 million ($167 million) move from Chelsea.
The Argentine midfielder's free-kick caught out Robin Roefs at his near post.
Maresca's Cityzens extend their lead at the top of the Premier League table 🔵🔝#MCISUN | #SSPremierLeague | #SSFootball pic.twitter.com/UfvJLrNg9M
— SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) September 20, 2026
Sunderland won their first European match for 53 years against AZ Alkmaar in midweek but showed little sign of tiredness as City could not shake off the Black Cats.
Brobbey slotted home Enzo Le Fee's pass for the first of his treble.
Quick feet and a slick finish from Rayan Cherki restored City's advantage, but Brobbey again replied within four minutes at the end of a fine Sunderland move.
Antoine Semenyo smashed City back in front before halftime and thought he had settled the game with another accurate left-footed finish just before the hour mark.
Semenyo opens his 2026/27 league account with a thunderbolt 🌩️⚽
— SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) September 20, 2026
📺 Stream #MCISUN on DStv: https://t.co/B0jLrQW5cc pic.twitter.com/AAQ4FQbPeG
Brobbey completed his hat-trick after Nilson Angulo beat Gianluigi Donnarumma to a ball over the top.
A couple of nervy moments from the Italian goalkeeper nearly led to a Sunderland equaliser as Ruben Dias was forced to clear off his own line.
However, Erling Haaland finally got involved in the goalfest to seal the three points and ensured he has scored against every side he has faced in the Premier League.
Victory extends Enzo Maresca's perfect start to the daunting task of succeeding Pep Guardiola at City boss.
"To be honest, I prefer to win 1-0 than 5-3, but I expected a very difficult game," said Maresca.
CALAMITOUS OWN GOAL
United head into a three-week international break just two points outside the relegation zone as they failed to ease the pressure on manager Michael Carrick in a 1-1 draw.
But it could have been even worse for the Red Devils after a calamitous Lisandro Martinez own goal put Fulham on course for their first league win of the season.
The Red Devils save themselves a point at Craven Cottage 🤝#FULMUN | #SSPremierLeague | #SSFootball pic.twitter.com/o2mr1m190K
— SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) September 20, 2026
Senne Lammens parried Calvin Bassey's strike back into the danger area and then could not clear when Martinez inadvertently turned the ball towards his own goal.
Cunha's 89th-minute equaliser also took a wicked deflection off David Affengruber to save United's blushes.
The Red Devils have taken just five points from their opening five games and were dumped out of the League Cup by Brighton in midweek after surrendering a 2-0 lead at home for the first time in 50 years.
A point is enough to edge Fulham off the foot of the table as Tottenham drop to the bottom.
IRAOLA'S WINNING RETURN
Liverpool won 1-0 on Andoni Iraola's return to Bournemouth thanks to Alexander Isak's winner.
Iraola was given a warm reception after leading the Cherries into Europe for the first time in the club's history.
Andoni Iraola wins on his return to Bournemouth ✅⚪️#SSFootball | #PremierLeague | #BOULIV pic.twitter.com/4luIB4AjhQ
— SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) September 20, 2026
That success led to the Basque being snapped up by Liverpool but he has endured an up-and-down start at Anfield and needed a victory to ease tensions before the international break.
Liverpool's performance was again far from convincing, but they got the only goal when Cody Gakpo's cross sat up for Isak to fire in his fourth of the season.
Cody Gakpo the architect, Isak the finisher 🪄🔴
— SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) September 20, 2026
Liverpool's #9 gets his fourth in four matches 👏
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"To win here is very difficult, I know it very well," said Iraola. "Overall we've improved, definitely since the first games."
Victory moves Liverpool up to sixth and within a point of third-placed Brighton.
Leeds missed the chance to go third themselves after being held 0-0 at home by Crystal Palace.