Man City held to a goalless draw by Sunderland

The away trip to Sunderland is predicted to be not easy for Manchester City and reality has proven that. The home team entered the match with an unbeaten record at home this season, along with the excitement of a disciplined and energetic team.

In that context, Man City still chose to enter the game proactively, pushing the squad up early to find an advantage. In the fifth minute, The Citizens seemed to have opened the scoring when Erling Haaland headed in from a corner kick for Bernardo Silva to finish into the net.

However, the joy of the away team was quickly extinguished when the VAR determined Silva was offside by a hair's breadth. That was also a rare moment in the first half that brought a feeling of explosion, because afterwards the two teams played tightly, prioritizing safety over risk.

The overwhelming game was not enough to help Pep Guardiola's team bring back all 3 points. Sunderland was not inferior as many people thought. They pressed moderately, maintained good formation distance and were ready to launch counter-attacks, making Man City's defense always vigilant.

In the opposite direction, the opponent's combinations lacked the necessary sharpness to create a difference in front of the opponent's goal.

A notable highlight came right at the beginning of the second half, when Rodri officially returned, for the first time since his short substitution in early November. The appearance of the Spanish midfielder helped Man City's midfield control the ball better, and the attacking rhythm was also more coherent. The clearest opportunity came from a quick combination between Cherki and Savinho, but the final shot went over the bar.

The pressure was increased by Man City over time. Josko Gvardiol, Jeremy Doku and Phil Foden all had moments of getting very close to scoring, but Sunderland goalkeeper Robin Roefs had an excellent day of play. The home team's defense also played tirelessly, continuously covering and blocking shots in the penalty area.

In the final minutes, Man City almost pushed the entire squad to the opponent's half. However, in a Premier League match, Sunderland still stood firm to keep a valuable point.

This 0-0 draw marks the first time Man City has not scored in the 2025-2026 season in all competitions. More importantly, that result made Guardiola's team miss the opportunity to narrow the gap with the leading team Arsenal, and witness the opponent directly extend the advantage to 4 points.