Manchester City secured a 3-0 victory over Sunderland, closing the gap to just two points behind Premier League leaders Arsenal. This win came after Arsenal's
earlier 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa. Rayan Cherki's remarkable assist was a highlight, as he set up Phil Foden with a rabona cross that resulted in a goal.
By the 65th minute, City was already leading 2-0. Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol scored within four minutes of each other in the first half. Dias' powerful shot deflected off Dan Ballard into the net, while Gvardiol headed in from Foden's corner. Sunderland attempted a comeback early in the second half but were thwarted by Gianluigi Donnarumma's save and Granit Xhaka hitting the post.
The Black Cats' hopes faded further when Phil Foden scored, making it 3-0. Their situation worsened when Luke O'Nien received a red card for a reckless tackle on Matheus Nunes during stoppage time. O'Nien, who had come on as a substitute in the 88th minute, will miss the upcoming Tyne-Wear derby against Newcastle United.
Pure class pic.twitter.com/ckIc9Cnhgs Manchester City (@ManCity) December 6, 2025
Phil Foden continued his impressive form with two goal involvements in this match. Since November, he has contributed to nine goals in seven starts for City across all competitions. This includes seven goals and two assists, more than any other Premier League player during this period.
Foden has now scored in three consecutive appearances for Manchester City for the first time since November 2023. City's dominance over newly promoted teams is evident as they have won 25 of their last 27 Premier League matches against such sides since losing to Leeds United in April 2021.
Statistical Dominance
The statistics from the match reflect City's superiority. They recorded 18 shots with an expected goals (xG) value of 2.31 compared to Sunderland's eight shots and an xG of just 0.74. This performance underscores City's deserved victory and their continued pursuit of Arsenal at the top of the table.
