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23 min: Huge roars as high pressing forces a throw, which means Mukiele will launch his long throw. It comes to Adingra who bobs and weaves, and goes down under a tackle by Nunes, with Nico Gonzalez on the scene, too.
22 min: More City hesitancy, more Sunderland Roker roars. Adingra’s break causes havoc and Hume has a shot, though his backlift is to heavy. Sunderland are in this, and their fans know it.
20 min: Sunderland only got a corner from their best moment of the game, and Xhaka’s cross isn’t the best. Dias really did come off second best to Brobbey there.
19 min: Oh wow! Bryan Brobbey blasts through Dias, and it takes Donnarumma, at his smothering best, to stop Mr Brobbey scoring.
18 min: Mayenda again finds space but then, as before, loses possession at the moment of truth.
17 min: Roefs almost falls victim to the MBM commentators’ curse and it takes his defenders to clear the danger when he hesitates at a Cherki cross.
15 min: Brobbey gets hustled out by Dias but Sunderland go again, and Hume finds space to attack the City box. It takes Dias’s experience to cut out the cross.
14 min: Robin Roefs, one of this season’s better keepers, takes his time over a goal kick and it soon comes back to him to, in open play, smash the ball to Adringra. Such a good buy from NEC Nijmegen.
12 min: What can Cherki, the rabona king, find? Ake steps forward as each and every Sunderland player sits back and gets into defensive shape. Savinho gets a cross in but it will not drop in time for Haaland.
10 min: Sunderland back in numbers as City take up their usual passing rhythm. They shall not pass. Well, hopefully.
8 min: Sunderland go on the attack, and Mayenda’s pass inside is intercepted by Ake. It needed to be far better, as did Adingra’s control when a Xhaka pass comes to him.
Bernardo Silva has goal disallowed
6 min: Cherki’s corner comes in, Haaland flicks on and Bernardo Silva taps in….goal!? No, it seems there was an offside. We take to the video assistant, and Hume’s boot may have played Silva onside….the wait is long but the goal is ruled out.
5 min: Savinho sets off on sortie into the Sunderland defence to force a corner. Ake rejoins the throng for now.
4 min: Gvardiol, who was rested, is due to come on but Ake is trying his best to soldier on. He asks if he can run it off.
3 min: Nathan Ake smashes the ball out, and that’s it for him. Just a second start of the season for him. and he’s down hurt. It looks like his knee has gone in over-extending. That’s a sad sight.
1 min: Kick-off is here
So, we away we go at the Stadium of Light with a bit of Elvis Presley. Arsenal used to come on to The Wonder Of You, much better than that North London Forever racket. Lots of noise. New Year’s football can be a strange beast. City start with some possession, as would be expected.
In this piece, I suggested that Sunderland may the happiest club of all in the Premier League.
Regis Le Bris also spoke to Sky: “A few weeks ago we struggled because they were really good and efficient through their counter pressing. I hope we learnt the lesson but it will be another experience at home with another energy so we’ll see.”
Pep Guardiola has been speaking to Sky: “Tough place and it means that anyone could win here. Hopefully we can perform. Josko [Gvardiol] had a few niggles, an incredible run of playing every three days and Savinho has speed and is fresh.
“The set pieces, long balls, second balls, [Granit] Xhaka is involved in the process. It is not just long balls and second balls but they have a good side.”
Rodri, after that fanfare, is on the bench with Reigan Heskey, 17, son of the Liverpool legend. Reigan’s brother, Jayden, is also on the City books.
Nathan Ake and Savinho come the City team, replacing Josko Gvardiol and Tijani Reijnders, who both drop to the bench. Doku’s on the bench, though with Antoine Semenyo set to arrive, a big game for Savinho who has been linked with a move.
Eliezer Mayenda for Chris Rigg is the sole Sunderland change, with Dan Ballard ruled out with injury.
Jeff Sax gets in touch: “Happy new year. I am shocked to hear that City are considering Maresca!! It will be like amorim at MU.”
So far today, just one sacking. Maresca does have a good record in the Championship…
Pep Guardiola was so so happy with 2025, a year without a trophy but some really positive signs as it closed out.
Because it’s how you overcome the problems. In this perspective, now every time when I reflect on what happened last season, I’m more proud than ever about what we have done as a club, how we handled the bad, bad situations.
The teams
Sunderland: Roefs, Hume, Mukiele, Alderete, Cirkin, Xhaka, Geertruida, Mayenda, Le Fee, Adingra, Brobbey. Subs: Patterson, Neil, Rigg, O’Nien, Mundle, Isidor, Hjelde, Harrison Jones, Tutierov.
Man City: Donnarumma, Matheus Luiz, Dias, Ake, O’Reilly, Silva, Gonzalez, Foden, Savio, Cherki, Haaland. Subs: Trafford, Reijnders, Doku, Rodri, Gvardiol, Khusanov, Mukasa, Lewis, Reigan Heskey.
Referee: Jarred Gillett (Australia)
The glitch in the space-time continuum that is this season’s fixture list means they met just weeks ago. That was the day of the rabona.
Here’s the table, as it stands. Sunderland have had such a good season. City are in the hunt but their points total is significantly lower than in their imperial periods.
Preamble
Happy new year to the readers. Can Manchester City’s inexorable run continue? Since 29 November, they have won every single match. Arsenal may hope for Pep Guardiola’s team to have a drier January, and for them to slip up at Sunderland. Though perhaps it’s a timely trip with Sunderland shorn of players at AfCon, and with other injuries. It was a brilliant year for the Black Cats, and in Regis Le Bris they have an excellent coach. Taking on Pep is the ultimate test.
Kick-off is 8pm. Join me.
