Man City 3-0 Sunderland: Guardiola’s side edge closer to Arsenal after cruising past Black Cats

Manchester City moved within two points of Premier League leaders Arsenal with a routine win over 10-man Sunderland this afternoon.

First-half efforts from Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol put the home side in control and Phil Foden added second-half gloss before Luke O’Nien was sent-off in injury-time.

It was a disappointing performance from the Wearsiders, whose switch back to a five-man defence meant they offered little going forward, particularly in a passive first half.

City probe patiently early on

Sunderland were happy to sit back in the early stages and, although they ceded possession, City didn’t exactly create a flurry of chances.

Bernardo Silva curled their best effort wide after 12 minutes while Foden’s chip over Robin Roefs intended for Erling Haaland was not accurate enough for the Norwegian to convert.

Just as City started to look a little frustrated, they opened the scoring from an unexpected source shortly after the half-hour mark.There appeared little danger when Dias collected the ball 30 yards from goal but the Portugal defender crashed in a fizzing shot that flew into the top corner.

Four minutes later and it was 2-0. Foden whipped in a corner from the right and Gvardiol rose highest to plant a header into the net.

The Croatia defender was a touch fortunate to see just a yellow card for a poor challenge on Nordi Mukiele but that was about the only negative for the home team in a dominant first half.

Sunderland improve but Foden finishes it

Jeremy Doku curled an effort just wide after the restart and the Belgian came even closer after 53 minutes with a shot that struck the post. It seemed Foden would tap home the rebound but he was denied by a brilliant block by Dan Ballard.

Sunderland had offered little but almost found a route back into the contest two minutes later – Dias’ sloppy pass allowing Wilson Isidor to run clean through but his shot was well smothered by Gianluigi Donnarumma.

Granit Xhaka then came close with a shot that crashed back off the woodwork.

Sunderland’s brief flurry fizzled out and City got back on top – Lutsharel Geertruida heading a Haaland effort off the line after nice work from Rayan Cherki.

France international Cherki, recalled to the starting XI, had been bright throughout and he played a major role in the decisive third City goal with a wonderful rabona cross that was inch-perfect for Foden to convert.

Substitute Tijjani Reijnders almost added a fourth while Roefs did well to keep out a Cherki shot.

Sunderland’s misery was compounded by the late dismissal of substitute O’Nien for a foul on Matheus Nunes.