Manchester City hosts Sunderland with a perfect record in the Premier League

Four for four. That's how Manchester City arrives on Sunday, with a perfect record and eager to keep stretching that run against an opponent that, on paper, looks like one they should be able to control. The Etihad Stadium hosts Sunderland this Sunday, September 20, in matchweek five of the 2026/2027 Premier League season, in a match that kicks off at 10:00 a.m. (Argentina, Uruguay and Chile time) and 8:00 a.m. (Colombia, Peru and Ecuador time). For viewers in South America, the broadcast airs on Disney+.

City's run is no fluke or stroke of luck: four wins in four matches, the same record as Arsenal, and that alone tells you who's setting the pace at the top of the table. The story looks a lot like last season, when the team ended up imposing its authority on the English league. Sunderland, meanwhile, arrives with a different kind of need: to land a statement blow against the current league leader, and start climbing a table where it hasn't yet found its footing.

The key players to watch on each side

City boasts names that guarantee a show. Erling Haaland remains the focal point up front, but he's not alone: Enzo Fernandez, Rayan Cherki and Phil Foden round out a midfield and attack full of quality, giving Enzo Maresca options to attack from every angle.

On the visitors' side, Sunderland also has players capable of causing trouble. Enzo Le Fee, Nilson Angulo, Malick Fofana and Granit Xhaka are the names to watch closely, especially given the experience Xhaka brings in midfield and the pace Angulo and Fofana can add out wide.

How both teams arrive

Manchester City comes off a commanding win: 5-0 over Norwich, at home, in the English League Cup. On the domestic Premier League front, Enzo Maresca's side has racked up four wins in four outings, and the most recent one was the sweetest: a 1-0 win over Manchester United in the city derby, a match that also sparked plenty of debate over some controversial calls.

Sunderland, for its part, got off to a strong start in its first ever UEFA Europa League campaign, beating AZ Alkmaar 1-0 at home. In the league, things have been more uneven: the club has four points and in its previous match fell 2-0 at home to Arsenal, the reigning champion that currently shares first place with City.

The recent head-to-head record also favors the Manchester side. The last meeting came on December 6, 2025, and ended 3-0 in City's favor, with goals from Ruben Dias, Josko Gvardiol and Phil Foden. A history that carries some weight, even though every match in soccer starts from zero.

With all of that on the table, Sunday at the Etihad looks promising: a home side that hasn't lost and shows no signs of letting up, and a visiting team that needs to defy the odds to start finding its footing in the standings.