City make 10 changes for Sunderland clash

City have made 10 changes for our Premier League clash with Sunderland from the side that beat Norwich City in the Carabao Cup in midweek.

Men's Team

He’s a truly, truly special person – Donnarumma on Maresca

Enzo Maresca returns to the line-up that started against Manchester United with only Phil Foden missing as he serves the second game of his three-match suspension for his red card in the win at Old Trafford.

His place is taken by Iliman Ndiaye who made a big impact in the 1-0 derby victory seven days ago.

Jérémy Doku is named among the substitutes for the first time since picking up an injury in the Community Shield in the season curtain-raiser against Arsenal.

TEAMS

CITY XI: Donnarumma, Nunes, Dias (C), Guéhi, Gvardiol, Anderson, Fernández, Ndiaye, Cherki, Semenyo, Haaland.

Subs: Rulli, Kovačić, Doku, Aït-Nouri, Bouaddi, O’Reilly, Allan, Khusanov, Lewis.

SUNDERLAND XI: Roefs, Meunier, Mukiele, Ballard, Danso, Methalie, Xhaka (C), Sadiki, Le Fee, Angulo, Brobbey.

Subs: Ellborg, Hume, O’Nien, Alderete, Talbi, Ahoka, Rigg, Fofana, Isidor.

HOW WE LINE UP

It was a sensational performance in midweek against the Canaries and a comfortable 5-0 win allowed Maresca to rest some of his key players.

The back-four returns with captain Rúben Dias partnering Marc Guéhi in the centre of defence with Joško Gvardiol and Matheus Nunes expected to be our full-backs.

A midfield sees former Newcastle midfielder Elliot Anderson start against the Black Cats with Enzo Fernández.

Rayan Cherki, the only player to start each of our games this week, will play further forward and close to striker Erling Haaland with Ndiaye and Antoine Semenyo on the wings.

Toughest so far

City moved top of the table without playing a game yesterday following Arsenal’s 3-0 defeat to Brighton.

And if Enzo Maresca can win his fifth successive Premier League match in charge we will move three points clear ahead of what is an extended international break that lasts until mid-October.

But the Italian is not looking too far ahead, particularly in terms of early league tables, with the focus on each game and he is not looking beyond a good performance today and is expecting a tough test.

“They are very strong, very well coached from their manager,” he said in his preview. “They are already have time together, so you can see what they want to do on the ball and off the ball.

“My feeling is, after watching them, is that on Sunday it will be the toughest game since the start of the season.”

Statzone

City are unbeaten in all 14 of our Premier League home games against Sunderland, winning 12 of them. Our last home league defeat against the Black Cats was in the second tier in January 1998.

Sunderland are winless in nine Premier League games against City since a 1-0 home win in November 2013 under Gus Poyet.

City have won all four Premier League games in 2026/27, only starting a top-flight season with five wins on the bounce in 1912/13 (5), 2015/16 (5), 2016/17 (6) and 2023/24 (6).

Sunderland have scored in each of their last eight away Premier League matches, their best run of scoring away from home in the top-flight since a run of eight between November and February in the 2015/16 season. They last had a longer run between April and October 1956 (10).

City have lost just two of our last 30 Premier League matches, with their 68 points the joint most of any side since the start of that run on 29 November last year, level with Arsenal.

Sunderland haven’t won any of their last 17 Premier League games against teams starting the day in the top-two, since a 2-1 win at Chelsea in April 2014.

Enzo Maresca is looking to become the sixth manager to win his first five Premier League games in charge of a club, after Carlo Ancelotti at Chelsea (6), Pep Guardiola at Man City (6), Craig Shakespeare at Leicester (5), Maurizio Sarri at Chelsea (5) and Ole Gunnar Solskjær at Man Utd (6).

Enzo Le Fée has six goals, six assists and has taken six penalties in the Premier League for Sunderland - he’s one of only two players to have scored more than once in the competition and have the same totals for goals, assists and penalties, along with Gary McSheffrey (three each).

Sunderland remain the only team that Erling Haaland hasn’t scored against in the Premier League, having three shots with an xG of 0.75 without finding the net in two games against the Black Cats. The Norwegian has scored in eight of his last nine appearances, netting nine goals.