Manchester City vs Sunderland Predictions

• Manchester City have won all six matches this season, their last four all coming with clean sheets
• City have won four of their last five home Premier League games, three to nil
• Sunderland failed to score away to any of the top three last season

City have defence to rival the champions

Manchester City will look to maintain their perfect start under Enzo Maresca when they play host to Sunderland on Sunday.  The Citizens spent a huge amount of money upgrading their midfield in the summer, but it is their improved defence which could ultimately ensure they reclaim the title from Arsenal this season.

Maresca’s men have earned four straight clean sheets against Coventry, Porto, Manchester United and Norwich amid a run of six wins to start the first campaign of the post-Pep Guardiola era.

City also said goodbye to John Stones in the summer, but Marc Guehi already looks like he’s capable of filling the Englishman’s boots after a colossal display alongside Ruben Dias at Old Trafford last Sunday.

Haaland has drawn a blank against Black Cats

Gianluigi Donnarumma also came up with a brilliant save on the rare occasion United, who had a man advantage for almost 70 minutes, broke through the City backline. A team that can keep regular clean sheets and deploy the deadly Erling Haaland up front will have a serious chance to win silverware again this season, despite the change of coach.

Haaland, however, has never scored against Sunderland before and may be best overlooked in anytime goalscorer betting this weekend. It is not as if he is playing badly, but the odds of return are so skinny these days that it is probably better to back him for two or more goals against weaker opponents.

Sunderland are not weak in defence, although they have found clean sheets hard to come by. The Black Cats have conceded five goals in their first four Premier League matches this term from an expected goals against of 5.8.

Sunderland set to keep it tight

Regis Le Bris’ side are underperforming when it comes to scoring goals, however, with only three to show from an xG of 6.2. Brian Brobbey was rested from the starting line-up in their 1-0 midweek win over AZ in the Europa League, coming off the bench moments after Enzo Le Fee had scored the only goal from the spot.

Sunderland scored regularly on the road at the back end of last season, but failed to register away to any of the teams that finished in the top three. The Wearsiders will find it tough to breach City’s staunch backline on Sunday and may fall to another defeat in Manchester.

The hosts are clearly capable of scoring a few goals if they get their noses in front and space opens up, but the more likely scenario is that Sunderland keep it tight enough to avoid a drubbing.