Manchester City have the opportunity to take control at the top of the Premier League when Sunderland visit the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.

City have won their opening four league matches, but their two most recent victories have both ended 1–0. Sunderland are unlikely to open the game unnecessarily, making a controlled home victory more likely than a high-scoring contest.

Manchester City remain perfect

Manchester City have taken 12 points from their opening four league matches and arrive after consecutive 1–0 victories over Coventry and Manchester United.

The performance against Coventry was not particularly convincing, but Erling Haaland scored the decisive goal as City found a way to win. They then showed another side of their game in the Manchester derby, protecting a narrow lead despite playing with ten men for more than an hour.

Phil Foden was sent off during that victory and will therefore miss Sunday’s match through suspension. Even without him, City should dominate possession and spend most of the game inside Sunderland’s half.

Haaland remains the biggest threat, but City may need patience against a visiting team expected to defend with several players behind the ball.

Sunderland may prioritise defensive organisation

Sunderland have collected four points from their opening four league matches. They held Brentford to a 1–1 draw before losing 2–0 at home against Arsenal in their most recent Premier League appearance.

Their week improved with a victory over AZ Alkmaar in the Europa League, although the European fixture gives them less time to prepare for a difficult trip to Manchester.

Régis Le Bris has shown that he is willing to adjust his approach depending on the opposition. At the Etihad, Sunderland are likely to defend deep and look for Brian Brobbey on counterattacks. Reinildo is suspended, which removes one defensive option for the visitors.

Sunderland have enough physical strength to make the match uncomfortable, but creating clear chances could be difficult if City control possession as expected.

The previous meeting ended goalless

Sunderland held City to a 0–0 draw at the Stadium of Light in January. City created several opportunities in that match, but Robin Roefs produced an excellent performance in goal to protect the point.

The circumstances are different this time. City are at home and have started the new season with four consecutive league victories, while Sunderland enter the match after a demanding European fixture.

However, the previous meeting showed that Sunderland can remain organised against City. The visitors have also never won at the Etihad, with their most recent away victory against City coming in 1998.

Verdict

Manchester City should control the match and eventually break through Sunderland’s defensive shape. The visitors may keep the score close for a large part of the game, but City possess the quality and depth needed to find a solution.

Recent results also suggest that a huge scoreline should not automatically be expected. City have won their last two league matches 1–0, while Sunderland limited Arsenal to two goals despite losing.

City to win combined with under 4.5 goals covers several realistic outcomes, including 1–0, 2–0, 2–1 and 3–0. It provides a stronger option than the short price on a home victory without relying on another clean sheet.

Tip

Manchester City to win and under 4.5 goals