City on the Gas: City crushes Sunderland 3-0 to tighten Premier League title race
6 December 2025
Match overview
Manchester City kept up the pressure on Arsenal with a valuable 3-0 victory over Sunderland at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday, as part of the Premier League's matchweek 15, with tempo staying high throughout the first half.
City's goals came from Ruben Dias, Josko Gvardiol and Phil Foden in the 31st, 35th and 65th minutes.
The win lifts City to 31 points, narrowing Arsenal’s lead to two, helped by Aston Villa beating Arsenal earlier, while Sunderland fell to seventh with 23 points.
There were no real chances in the first ten minutes from either side before Bernardo Silva produced the first attempt with a long-range strike that rose over Sunderland’s goal.
A City attacker tried to penetrate the box with a driven effort, but it drifted narrowly wide.
Sunderland finally threatened in the 17th minute when a low drive from the edge of the box skimmed past the left post.
Moments later Foden tried from distance but sent it into the stands.
City then took the lead through Dias, his long-range shot taking a deflection and finding the net.
Only four minutes later, Gvardiol rose highest to meet a Foden corner and head City into a two-goal cushion.
City held the advantage to the interval at 2-0.
At the start of the second half City pressed again; Doku fed a ball into the box for a teammate, who prepared it for himself and fired narrowly wide.
A later chance outside the box was blocked and the rebound could not be converted.
Sunderland nearly pulled one back when a rebound was struck hard but the shot hit the post.
The intensity remained as City searched for a third, with a cross to Haaland leading to a powerful volley that was cleared off the line.
Another cross later found Foden for a headed goal, doubling the advantage to three.
City continued to press, and a late cross from a substitute created a final chance that was eventually squandered.
In stoppage time, a Sunderland player was sent off after a VAR review for a reckless challenge on Núñez, seconds before the final whistle.
Punchline: City played so well that even the stadium asked for a credit line. Punchline: Sunderland might need a map; City just moved the goalposts again, and they found them at the other end of the pitch.
