Manchester City vs Sunderland: Match details
Manchester City and Sunderland A.F.C. will kick-off on 20 September 2026 at 13:00 GMT (9:00 AM EST / 14:00 BST / 15:00 SAST).
Cityzens host rebounding Black Cats
Manchester City return home to the Etihad Stadium to face Sunderland A.F.C. for Matchweek 5 of the 2026/27 Premier League season. Following a gritty derby win over the weekend and midweek cup commitments, City aim to leverage home advantage to stay near the top of the table. For Sunderland, taking the trip to Manchester following back-to-back tough fixtures presents a major test of their defensive structure against an explosive attack.
Getty ImagesHaaland goal beats 10-Man Derby drama
Manchester City enter Sunday on high spirits after grinding out a 1–0 away derby victory against Manchester United at Old Trafford on Matchday 4 (September 13). Despite seeing Phil Foden sent off with a straight red card in the 23rd minute, City displayed immense tactical discipline before Erling Haaland broke the deadlock in the 59th minute. The result follows a 2–0 Champions League away victory over FC Porto and a 1–0 home win over Coventry City, keeping City's strong early momentum rolling.
Getty ImagesThe Black Cats' tough lessons against top-flight giants
Sunderland travel to Etihad Stadium seeking to bounce back after suffering a 2–0 home loss to Arsenal on Matchday 4 (September 12). Régis Le Bris' men held firm through a goalless first half, but conceded a 57th-minute strike to Bruno Guimarães before a late penalty from Bukayo Saka sealed the result. The Black Cats look to draw on the defensive resilience that earned them a 1–1 draw away at Brentford and a 1–0 EFL Cup win over Hull City earlier in the month.
Can Sunderland’s mid-block slow City’s machine?
Historically, Manchester City have controlled possession at home, relying on creative engines like Rayan Cherki and Antoine Semenyo to feed Erling Haaland. Sunderland will count on their mid-block structure led by Granit Xhaka, Kevin Danso, and Daniel Ballard to disrupt City's central passing lanes, while aiming to spring Brian Brobbey on rapid counter-attacks. With crucial early points on the line, Sunday's encounter promises intense action from the opening whistle.
Team news & squads
Manchester City vs Sunderland Probable lineups
Manager
- E. Maresca
Manchester City will be without Phil Foden, who serves a suspension following his red card in the Manchester derby. Jeremy Doku is also unavailable through injury, leaving Maresca with limited wide options heading into the match. Further team news updates will be added closer to kick-off.
Sunderland travel to Manchester without Reinildo, who is suspended for this fixture. Habib Diarra and Romaine Mundle are both sidelined through injury, further reducing Le Bris's options in attack and midfield.
Form
Manchester City arrive in outstanding form, winning all five of their most recent matches across all competitions. Their run includes last weekend's 1-0 derby win at Manchester United and a 2-0 victory over FC Porto in the Champions League. Across those five games, City have scored eight goals and conceded four, with their most convincing display coming in a 4-1 win at Crystal Palace. Five consecutive wins underlines the consistency Maresca has built early in the campaign.
Sunderland's recent form is more mixed, producing two wins, one draw, and two defeats from their last five outings. Their most recent match ended in a 2-0 loss to Arsenal, and they were also beaten 2-1 by Ipswich Town earlier in the run. Positive results against Hull City in the Carabao Cup and Fulham in the league show they are capable of picking up points, but back-to-back defeats in their last two competitive away fixtures will concern Le Bris.
Head-to-Head Record
Head to Head
The most recent meeting between these two sides ended in a goalless draw at Sunderland's ground in January 2026, a result that followed Manchester City's 3-0 home win over Sunderland in December 2025. Across the last five head-to-head fixtures on record, Manchester City have won three times, with one draw and one defeat, scoring eight goals and conceding one.
