Manchester City 3-0 Sunderland: Post-match review, Stats, Key moments

Dive into Ladbrokes’ post-match review of Manchester City 3-0 Sunderland in the Premier League on Saturday, 06 December 2025, with stats, key moments and our take on the match.

Manchester City won 3-0 against Sunderland. The hosts took control early, breaking the deadlock when Rúben Dias scored in the 31st minute, assisted by Rayan Cherki, and Josko Gvardiol added a second four minutes later with Phil Foden’s assist. Josko Gvardiol picked up a yellow card shortly after in the 37th minute, but City maintained their dominance into the second half, with Phil Foden sealing the win in the 65th minute from another Cherki assist. Coming off a strong run including wins over Fulham and Leeds United, Manchester City looked comfortable throughout, while Sunderland’s mixed form with a recent draw against Liverpool offered little resistance.

Sunderland made changes around the hour mark, bringing on Brian Brobbey and Chemsdine Talbi in the 56th minute, followed by more substitutions later, but they couldn’t find a way back. Manchester City responded with their own tweaks, including Omar Marmoush and Tijjani Reijnders entering in the 69th minute, and Nathan Aké a minute later, which helped them see out the game. The match ended dramatically with Sunderland’s Luke O’Nien sent off in the 90+5th minute after a VAR review, capping a tough day for the visitors who had shown some fight in recent games like their win over AFC Bournemouth but were outclassed here.

Manchester City’s 64% possession underlined their control of the game, allowing them to dictate the tempo while Sunderland’s 36% forced them into a more reactive approach, though the visitors matched closely on corners with five to City’s six. Successful dribbles heavily favoured City at 50 to 30, highlighting their ability to break lines and create openings, and their three assists compared to Sunderland’s zero showed sharper final-third play. Discipline-wise, City picked up one yellow card while Sunderland suffered a late red, and both sides used all five substitutions, with City’s changes around the 69th and 82nd minutes helping maintain freshness as they protected the lead.

The game’s turning points came in quick succession before half-time, with Rúben Dias opening the scoring in the 31st minute from Rayan Cherki’s assist, followed by Josko Gvardiol’s goal four minutes later assisted by Phil Foden. Josko Gvardiol then received a yellow card in the 37th minute, but City extended their lead through Phil Foden in the 65th minute, again set up by Cherki. Sunderland’s hopes faded further with substitutions like Brian Brobbey replacing Wilson Isidor and Chemsdine Talbi coming on for Bertrand Traoré in the 56th minute, and the match ended on a sour note for them when Luke O’Nien, who had replaced Trai Hume in the 88th minute, was shown a red card in the 90+5th minute following a VAR check.

Manchester City lined up in a 4-3-2-1 shape, with a solid defensive base allowing players like Rúben Dias and Josko Gvardiol to contribute offensively, as seen in their goals, while Phil Foden and Rayan Cherki formed an effective partnership in providing assists. Bernardo Silva held midfield until Rico Lewis replaced him in the 82nd minute, and up front Erling Haaland led the line before Omar Marmoush took over in the 69th minute. Nathan Aké provided fresh legs in defence after replacing Josko Gvardiol in the 70th minute, helping to shore things up late on.

Sunderland set up in a defensive 5-4-1 formation, relying on an organised backline including Trai Hume until Luke O’Nien replaced him in the 88th minute, though that change led to O’Nien’s late red card after VAR intervention. Midfield saw Granit Xhaka anchor until Romaine Mundle came on for him in the 72nd minute, with Bertrand Traoré offering width before Chemsdine Talbi took his place in the 56th minute. Wilson Isidor started up top but made way for Brian Brobbey in the 56th minute, as they sought more threat without much success.

Rúben Dias earned Ladbrokes’ Man of the Match award for his commanding performance at the back, scoring one goal while contributing one key pass and creating no big chances but anchoring City’s defence effectively. His goal in the 31st minute set the tone, and despite the team’s overall dominance, Dias stood out for his composure and leadership in a clean-sheet victory.

Recent Premier League matches:

• Win: 3-0 vs Sunderland (H)
• Win: 5-4 vs Fulham (A)
• Win: 3-2 vs Leeds United (H)
• Loss: 1-2 vs Newcastle United (A)
• Win: 3-0 vs Liverpool (H)

Recent Premier League matches:

• Loss: 0-3 vs Manchester City (A)
• Draw: 1-1 vs Liverpool (A)
• Win: 3-2 vs AFC Bournemouth (H)
• Loss: 0-1 vs Fulham (A)
• Draw: 2-2 vs Arsenal (H)

Manchester City have just beaten Sunderland 3-0, maintaining their push near the top as they sit second on 31 points after a run of form that includes recent wins over Fulham, Leeds United and Liverpool, despite a loss to Newcastle United. Their next match is against Real Madrid on 2025-12-10 at 20:00, a fixture that could test their credentials further with the opposition’s details yet to be confirmed, but City will aim to build on this momentum to stay in the title hunt.

Sunderland have just lost 3-0 to Manchester City, leaving them seventh on 23 points after a patchy spell including a draw with Liverpool, a win over AFC Bournemouth, but also defeats to Fulham and now City, plus a draw with Arsenal. They face Newcastle United next on 2025-12-14 at 14:00, with the opponents currently 10th on 22 points, offering a chance to bounce back and close the gap in the mid-table battle.

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Odds and market details are accurate as of the time of publication.