Man City edge Sunderland 5-3 as Brobbey nets hat-trick; Liverpool win on Iraola’s return – Premier League, Sept 20, 2026
Manchester City defeated Sunderland 5-3 at the Etihad Stadium on September 20, 2026, despite Brian Brobbey scoring a hat-trick, while Liverpool beat Bournemouth 1-0 on Andoni Iraola’s return to the south coast in Premier League action on the same day.
City moved to the top of the Premier League after taking advantage of Arsenal’s 3-0 loss at Brighton on September 19, and Enzo Fernandez opened the scoring at the Etihad with his first goal since equalling the Premier League transfer record with a £125 million ($167 million) move from Chelsea.
Sunderland, who had won their first European match for 53 years against AZ Alkmaar in midweek, struck first through Brobbey after he slotted home Enzo Le Fee’s pass; Rayan Cherki then restored City’s advantage with a neat finish before Brobbey replied again within four minutes. Antoine Semenyo put City back in front before half-time and added another left-footed finish just before the hour mark, Brobbey completed his treble after Nilson Angulo beat Gianluigi Donnarumma to a ball over the top, and Erling Haaland sealed the victory late on; at one point Ruben Dias was forced to clear off his own line.
“To be honest, I prefer to win 1-0 than 5-3 but I expected a very difficult game,” said Enzo Maresca, whose side extended a perfect start to his time succeeding Pep Guardiola at City boss.
At Craven Cottage, Manchester United were held 1-1 by Fulham after a calamitous own goal from Lisandro Martinez following a Senne Lammens parry of Calvin Bassey’s strike put Fulham ahead; Matheus Cunha’s 89th-minute equaliser ricocheted off David Affengruber to deny United defeat. The Red Devils have taken just five points from their opening five league 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.
"We came to get the win of course, the way it panned out and the way we finished is the positive we take from it," said Michael Carrick. "We don't think things are perfect by any means. We need to win football matches."
Liverpool’s 1-0 victory at Bournemouth came via Alexander Isak’s finish from a Cody Gakpo cross, Isak’s fourth of the season, on the occasion of Andoni Iraola’s return to Bournemouth after being given a warm reception for previously leading the Cherries into Europe before being snapped up by Liverpool. "To win here is very difficult, I know it very well," said Iraola. "Overall we've improved, definitely since the first games." The result moved Liverpool up to sixth and within a point of third-placed Brighton.
The outcomes left Manchester City top of the Premier League, Liverpool sixth and within a point of third-placed Brighton; Manchester United head into a three-week international break two points outside the relegation zone, Fulham moved off the foot of the table and Tottenham dropped to the bottom after the latest round of fixtures.
