Overview
- Manchester City beat Sunderland 5-3 at the Etihad on Sunday to extend their perfect Premier League start to five matches.
- Enzo Maresca said he would prefer 1-0 wins and criticised the team for conceding two goals from free-kicks that he described as 'too easy'.
- Brian Brobbey scored a Premier League hat-trick for Sunderland but became the first player since 2007 to net three and still finish on the losing side.
- Sunderland manager Regis Le Bris praised his players for creating many chances and said the performance offered positives despite the defeat.
- City go into the international break three points clear at the top and intend to prioritise set-piece and marking work to prevent the defensive lapses from costing results against stronger opponents.