Enzo Fernández got his name on the City scoresheet for the first time after just nine minutes at the Etihad Stadium, striking in a cunning free-kick from a tight angle.
However, just three minutes later, the visitors levelled as Enzo Le Fée’s through ball sent Brian Brobbey through on goal to flick into the bottom corner.
Shortly before the half-hour mark, Rayan Cherki struck us back ahead with an assured finish, before Brobbey levelled once again, tapping into an empty net from Thomas Meunier’s pass.
A pulsating first 45 minutes still had more drama, as Semenyo blasted us back into the lead, before Erling Haaland struck narrowly wide with the goal gaping from Iliman Ndiaye’s unselfish pass.
The attacking intensity didn’t dip after the interval as Semenyo arrowed a fierce strike into the corner to make it 4-2 after 57 minutes for his second of the afternoon.
But, as the previous two times, the Black Cats would just not give up and made it 4-3 two minutes later, with Brobbey completing his hat-trick with a close-range tap in.
It was then almost 4-4, as Dan Ballard’s header clipped Rúben Dias and went goalbound, but the Portuguese defender stretched expertly to acrobatically clear the ball off the line.
With just under 10 minutes remaining, Haaland got his first career goal against Sunderland meaning he has now scored against every side he’s faced in the top-flight, sliding in to finish from Josko Gvardiol’s cross to secure the victory and take us three points clear at the top of the table.
View the best images from the eight-goal thriller via our gallery below.
