Antoine Semenyo delivered a standout performance for Manchester City, scoring twice and providing an assist as the Premier League leaders edged Sunderland 5-3 in a thrilling encounter at the Etihad Stadium.
The Ghana international played a key role in a game that saw City surrender their lead twice before eventually securing all three points.
City started strongly and took the lead after just nine minutes when Enzo Fernandez curled a free-kick into the near post for his first goal since completing his £125 million move from Chelsea.
Sunderland quickly responded through Brian Brobbey, who finished after Enzo Le Fée split the City defence with a precise pass.
Rayan Cherki restored City’s lead after capitalising on a mistake during Sunderland’s attempt to play out from the back, but the visitors again fought back.
Le Fée found Thomas Meunier, who squared the ball for Brobbey to tap into an empty net. A lengthy VAR review followed before the goal was eventually allowed to stand.
With the game level at 2-2, Semenyo stepped up just before half-time. Sunderland failed to properly deal with a cross from the right, allowing the Ghanaian forward to stay alert inside the box and finish clinically to put City 3-2 ahead.
Semenyo struck again shortly after the restart.
A pass from Marc Guehi intended for Erling Haaland broke into Semenyo’s path, and the forward made no mistake, drilling a left-footed effort into the far corner to extend City’s lead to 4-2.
Sunderland refused to give up, with Brobbey completing his hat-trick after Nilson Angulo’s low cross found him inside the area to make it 4-3.
The visitors then came close to completing another comeback when Gianluigi Donnarumma failed to claim a high ball, but Ruben Dias recovered in time to clear the danger near the goal line.
City eventually put the game beyond Sunderland’s reach nine minutes from full-time when Haaland converted Josko Gvardiol’s cross at the back post.
The goal was initially ruled out for offside, but VAR overturned the decision after determining that Gvardiol had timed his run correctly.
For Semenyo, the performance continues an impressive start to life at Manchester City. He had already played a full 90 minutes in City’s 1-0 derby victory over Manchester United, and his display against Sunderland now gives him a significant contribution of two goals and an assist.
His growing influence will also be welcomed by Ghana, with the Black Stars preparing for their upcoming international fixtures.
Semenyo’s ability to operate across the frontline, attack space and contribute goals and assists gives Ghana another important attacking option.
The victory keeps City’s perfect Premier League record intact and sends them into the international break at the top of the table.
For Semenyo, however, the Sunderland game could prove particularly significant. Two goals and an assist in a high-pressure Premier League contest underline his growing importance to Pep Guardiola’s side and provide further evidence of his development into an increasingly influential attacking player.
