Manchester City vs Sunderland Stats: Head-to-head Record Before September 2026 Match

Manchester City vs Sunderland stats take centre stage ahead of their Premier League clash at the Etihad Stadium on 20 September 2026. The match is scheduled for a 13:00 UTC kick-off in Manchester, as part of the 2026 Premier League Regular Season - Round 5. Manchester City arrive in strong domestic shape, sitting 2nd in the table with 12 points from four wins out of four, and a goal difference of +6.

Sunderland make the trip to the Etihad looking to upset a title contender. They come into this fixture 14th in the Premier League standings with 4 points from four games, having won once, drawn once and lost twice. With City pushing to maintain a perfect start and Sunderland aiming to move further clear of the early-season lower positions, the stakes are clear: points for the title race on one side, and stability and confidence on the other.

Head-to-head record

The record shows a clear historical edge for Manchester City in Premier League meetings with Sunderland included in this dataset.

• Previous meetings: 5
• Manchester City wins: 4
• Draws: 1
• Sunderland wins: 0

Manchester City vs Sunderland Timeline & Historical Context

The Manchester City vs Sunderland timeline in competitive action covered here spans Premier League fixtures from February 2016 through January 2026. Across these matches, City have consistently taken points, underlining the gap that has often existed between a side challenging at the top and one fighting lower down the table.

The earliest meeting in this sequence came on 2 February 2016 in the Premier League 2015 season (Regular Season - 24) at the Stadium of Light. Sunderland hosted Manchester City and were beaten 0-1, with the visitors leading 0-1 at half-time and seeing out the same scoreline by full-time. Later that year, on 13 August 2016 in the Premier League 2016 season (Regular Season - 1), Manchester City played host at the Etihad Stadium and recorded a 2-1 home victory over Sunderland, having led 1-0 at the interval.

On 5 March 2017, again at the Stadium of Light in the Premier League 2016 campaign (Regular Season - 27), Sunderland fell 0-2 at home to Manchester City. City were 0-1 ahead at half-time and added another after the break to close out a comfortable away win. The rivalry then resumed in the Premier League 2025 season. On 6 December 2025 at the Etihad Stadium (Regular Season - 15), Manchester City defeated Sunderland 3-0, building a 2-0 advantage by half-time and extending it in the second half.

The most recent encounter in this Manchester City vs Sunderland timeline came on 1 January 2026 at the Stadium of Light in the Premier League 2025 season (Regular Season - 19). Sunderland, at home, held Manchester City to a 0-0 draw, with the scoreline goalless both at half-time and full-time. That stalemate stands out as Sunderland’s only point from the five matches in this dataset, and it offers a reference point for how they might attempt to frustrate City again.

Manchester City vs Sunderland Head to Head Overall Breakdown

The head-to-head numbers underline Manchester City’s dominance, but also show that Sunderland have occasionally been able to limit damage, particularly at home.

Overall Record & Goals:

• Total Goals Scored: Manchester City 8 - 1 Sunderland
• Average Goals per Match: Manchester City 1.60 vs Sunderland 0.20

Venue Split Performance:

• At Etihad Stadium: 2 matches played here — Manchester City won 2 (as home side), Sunderland won 0 (as away side), 0 draws
• At Stadium of Light: 3 matches played here — Sunderland won 0 (as home side), Manchester City won 2 (as away side), 1 draw

Manchester City vs Sunderland Last Results: Past Direct Meetings

Here are the Manchester City vs Sunderland last results in recent competitive fixtures:

• 1 January 2026: Sunderland 0-0 Manchester City (Half-time: 0-0) – Premier League
• 6 December 2025: Manchester City 3-0 Sunderland (Half-time: 2-0) – Premier League
• 5 March 2017: Sunderland 0-2 Manchester City (Half-time: 0-1) – Premier League
• 13 August 2016: Manchester City 2-1 Sunderland (Half-time: 1-0) – Premier League
• 2 February 2016: Sunderland 0-1 Manchester City (Half-time: 0-1) – Premier League

Recent Form: Last 5 Matches Breakdown

Last 5 Manchester City Matches Results and Stats

Manchester City’s recent Premier League form in the 2026 season to date has been impeccable. They have played four league matches and won all four, reflecting strong momentum at both ends of the pitch. City have scored 8 goals and conceded only 2, with 3 goals scored and 1 conceded at home, and 5 scored and 1 conceded away. They have kept two clean sheets and have yet to fail to score, underlining a balanced attack and defence that supports their position near the top of the table.

• Recent Results Summary: Win 4, Draw 0, Lose 0

Last 5 Sunderland Matches Results and Stats

Sunderland’s 2026 Premier League form to date has been more mixed. Over four matches they have 1 win, 1 draw and 2 defeats, with 3 goals scored and 5 conceded. At home they have 1 win and 1 loss with a 1-2 goal record, while away they have 1 draw and 1 defeat with 2 goals scored and 3 conceded. One clean sheet and one match without scoring illustrate an inconsistent attacking output, and their goals-against average above one per game highlights defensive vulnerabilities, particularly on the road.

• Recent Results Summary: Win 1, Draw 1, Lose 2

Historical Statistical Verdict

Taken together, the historical Manchester City vs Sunderland stats and current-season form point strongly towards Manchester City. City lead the head-to-head with 4 wins and 1 draw from 5 meetings in this dataset, scoring 8 goals to Sunderland’s 1 and winning all previous matches at the Etihad Stadium. Sunderland’s only positive result in that run was the 0-0 home draw on 1 January 2026, showing they can occasionally limit City but have struggled to threaten consistently. With City unbeaten and perfect in the league so far and Sunderland still searching for consistency, the trends lean clearly towards another strong Manchester City performance, especially at home, while Sunderland will likely focus on defensive organisation to try to repeat their most recent shutout.

Manchester City vs Sunderland H2H Statistics updated on 14 September 2026.