MANCHESTER, England (AP) — No Pep Guardiola. No problem.
Not yet anyway for Manchester City after moving clear at the top of the Premier League on Sunday with a 5-3 win over Sunderland.
New coach Enzo Maresca extended his perfect winning start to the season to five games and goes into the international break three points ahead of defending champion Arsenal in second place.
But that doesn't tell half the story of a chaotic match at the Etihad Stadium
that saw City twice squander the lead and Sunderland striker Brian Brobbey outshine Erling Haaland with a hat trick.
Eventually it was Haaland who ended the visitors' brave fight with City's fifth goal in the 81st minute.
Manchester United left it even later to salvage a 1-1 draw at Fulham and avoid three straight defeats in all competitions. Matheus Cunha's heavily deflected shot in the 89th earned Michael Carrick's team a point at Craven Cottage.
Alexander Isak scored his fourth goal of the season as Liverpool beat Bournemouth 1-0, and Leeds drew 0-0 with Crystal Palace.
Maresca’s 100% record continues after taking on arguably the most daunting task in soccer when stepping into Guardiola’s shoes over the summer. Charged with the responsibility of continuing City’s unprecedented era of success, which included six league titles and the Champions League among 17 major trophies, he has made the best possible start in terms of results.
But City will likely have to tighten up defensively if it is to end a two-year title drought.
“I would prefer to win 1-0 than 5-3,” Maresca said. “I’m always trying to see what we can do better. Two of the three goals that we concede, they have been too easy."
Sunderland repeatedly cut City open, scoring three goals and creating numerous chances to add more.
City twice squandered leads in the first half before going in at the break 3-2 up.
Enzo Fernandez opened the scoring in the ninth minute with a free kick that curled into the near post, but Brobbey got in behind City’s defense to quickly level.
Rayan Cherki restored the home team’s advantage with a low effort from inside the area before Brobbey equalized for a second time as Sunderland again took advantage of slack City defending.
Antoine Semenyo drilled a low shot past Sunderland goalkeeper Robin Roefs shortly before halftime and lashed home his second in the 57th to give City breathing room.
Brobbey completed his hat trick by forcing the ball over the line from close range and Ruben Dias had to clear off the line to avoid the game being leveled again with an own-goal.
Haaland's seventh goal in his last five games avoided a tense finish and ensured that City sits clear at the top after Arsenal's surprise loss to Brighton on Saturday.
“It is much better to win games. It is better to have three points more than not, but it is quite early (in the season),” Maresca said.
It was a winning return to Bournemouth for Liverpool coach Andoni Iraola after leaving the south coast club at the end of last season.
The Spanish coach had three successful seasons at the Vitality Stadium before taking over at Anfield.
He had Isak to thank for Liverpool's second league win of the campaign with the Sweden international providing a composed finish from close range in the 57th.
The $170 million striker endured a difficult first season at Liverpool which was disrupted by injury. But he has started impressively this season with four goals in five league appearances.
Leeds maintained its unbeaten start to the season with a 0-0 draw at home to Crystal Palace and, after battling relegation last term, is fifth in the standings.
___
James Robson is at https://x.com/jamesalanrobson
___
See AP’s full soccer coverage here
