Man City's thrilling yet disorderly 5-3 triumph over Sunderland stood in stark contrast to the tight‑controlled style that Pep Guardiola usually imposes. Enzo Maresca summed it up succinctly: "We aim to dominate, but the opposition simply refused to give us any space." Sunderland made life difficult from the first whistle, and City were far from perfect themselves.
Maresca had warned his squad about the magnitude of the challenge before kickoff, and his concerns proved well‑founded. "I knew how good they were, especially off the ball – they were relentless," he said after the match, referring to the Black Cats’ aggressive pressing that left the Etihad side conceding more ground than they ever have at home.
It was a rare occasion when Manchester City surrendered so much territory, created so many chances for the visitors, and allowed three goals to slip through their defence. Why did City look so vulnerable?
Brian Brobbey delivered yet another display of classic hold‑up play, echoing his performance against Arsenal the previous week. This time, however, he combined his physicality with a hat‑trick of superb finishes. Every time Brobbey won a duel against Ruben Dias – and he did so repeatedly – he created a pocket of space for a teammate to exploit. Enzo Le Fee surged forward in waves of attack, while Nilson Angulo and Thomas Meunier quickly appeared on the flanks, turning City into an attacking overload.
The pattern repeated itself throughout the game: Sunderland’s pressing, both man‑to‑man and in longer blocks, left Elliot Anderson and Enzo Fernández struggling to cope with the physical battle. The visitors out‑duelled City in the majority of contests and also outran them on several occasions. Brobbey alone won ten of the twelve one‑on‑one battles he entered and drew a match‑high five fouls, proving impossible to contain.
Nevertheless, Maresca’s side managed to adapt to Sunderland’s style for long enough to net five goals. They capitalised on the opposition’s errors, digging deep and delivering a performance that, while far from Guardiola’s textbook perfection, was undeniably effective. In the end, the result was an imperfect but functional display that deserves recognition.
--- Michael Carrick has cultivated a calm demeanor when faced with criticism of his Manchester United side, a stark contrast to the often‑noisy detractors. Over the past week, Carrick has had to defend his team after a derby defeat, a disappointing Carabao Cup exit, and a scrappy point earned at the historically struggling Fulham. When questioned at Craven Cottage about United’s joint‑worst start to a Premier League campaign, Carrick highlighted the fine margins that have defined their early season – a spectacular 25‑yard strike at Everton, a controversially awarded City goal, a bizarre own‑goal at Fulham, and two shots that struck the woodwork. He argued that those moments, while painful, illustrate how close United have been to better outcomes.
The issue, however, is the accumulation of sub‑par performances. As Carrick himself admits, each match contains positive moments, but the negatives are beginning to outweigh them. United have been lacking physically, defensively, and in possession during crucial phases, and the consequences are evident.
A ten‑point gap now separates them from league leaders City, making any realistic hope of surpassing last season’s third‑place finish appear distant. "There’s still a long season ahead," Carrick told the press on Sunday, but he warned that a substantial shift – beyond mere tweaks – is essential for a turnaround.
--- Cody Gakpo has been Liverpool’s most reliable source of goal‑related magic this season. In every match he has started, he has either scored or set up a decisive chance. From his opener against Newcastle on the opening weekend, to a silky assist versus Nottingham Forest, to delivering both assists in the victory over Ipswich, and a goal and assist in the Carabao Cup win over Tottenham, Gakpo has consistently been at the heart of Liverpool’s attacking output.
His contribution in the 1‑0 win at Bournemouth stands out as his finest moment. With Liverpool struggling to create clear‑cut chances, Gakpo’s determined run down the right wing and pinpoint cross set up Alexander Isak’s match‑winning goal. Manager Iraola praised Gakpo’s effort, noting that the difficulty of the goal lay in his delivery, even though Gakpo was not officially credited with the assist.
Defensively, Gakpo also shone at Bournemouth, winning more duels than any other player on the pitch and neutralising one of the Cherries’ most dangerous threats. "I know Adrien Truffert well, and he demands a lot defensively. Cody has been vital in both attack and defence," Iraola added. When Gakpo is unavailable, Liverpool’s quality visibly drops, as demonstrated in the goalless draw with Fulham where the Dutchman was limited to a bench role.
Considering his form, it is astonishing that Liverpool entertained the idea of selling him this summer; his absence would leave a significant void. --- Bournemouth entered the three‑week international break without a win, a disappointing conclusion after their exhilarating European victory over Real Sociedad. The match at the Vitality Stadium offered few thrills, with the Cherries appearing the more likely side to claim three points, yet they lacked the cutting edge in the final third. Injuries, such as Justin Kluivert’s absence, and a lack of squad rotation meant Bournemouth struggled to find the necessary momentum.
Manager Marco Rose has made only two changes to his Premier League line‑ups this season – the fewest of any club. While this stability can foster cohesion, it is unsustainable when balancing domestic and European commitments. Rotation will be essential to keep the squad fresh and avoid a potential relegation battle later in the campaign.
--- Alvaro Arbeloa observes that Fulham are making progress, a fair assessment after draws with Liverpool and Manchester United at the start of a challenging Premier League season. After a third consecutive defeat to Crystal Palace early in September, concerns about a relegation fight resurfaced, but the team now has a platform to build upon during the international break. Josh King has emerged as Fulham’s standout performer in the opening five games, netting two goals and demonstrating why the club holds him in high regard after his academy development. New signing David Affengruber, acquired for £8.5 million from Elche, impressed on his debut at centre‑back against Liverpool, appearing to have displaced Joachim Andersen temporarily.
Meanwhile, Gonzalo García, who scored on his debut after moving from Real Madrid, has struggled to find the net, managing only two shots on target from fifteen attempts. The next six weeks will be crucial for Arbeloa, giving him time to fine‑tune his squad ahead of fixtures against the three newly‑promoted clubs when the league resumes. --- Crystal Palace arrived at Elland Road having conceded eleven goals in their first four Premier League outings.
They left with a clean sheet, and after a dominant second half, they likely felt they deserved all three points. The match showcased a spirited, disciplined performance from Palace, who emerged from the break with a completely different mindset, applying sustained pressure on Leeds United. Leeds appeared unusually flat, with Dominic Calvert‑Lewin starved of service for long periods. Even when opportunities arose, Palace goalkeeper Walter Benítez was ready to deny them.
The 0‑0 stalemate ultimately reflected two sides cancelling each other out, but Palace can take far more encouragement from the display than Leeds can. For manager Paul Sage, this defensive solidity could serve as the foundation for a much‑needed turnaround.
--- Overall, the weekend highlighted the unpredictable nature of the Premier League: Manchester City’s chaotic yet effective win, Liverpool’s reliance on Gakpo, United’s ongoing struggles under Carrick, and the defensive resilience shown by Palace and Bournemouth. As teams head into the international break, the next few weeks will determine whether they can build on these performances or slide further down the table.