Champions City overcame a spirited Sunderland comeback – but only just, after a second two-goal collapse in four days at the Etihad.
The home side rained in shots throughout the game, eventually totalling 32 attempts on old boy Costel Pantilimon's goal, but suffered from a lack of accuracy in the first half, getting just 2 of their 15 efforts on target. A Yaya Toure stunner just before the hour ended all that and soon after City seemed to be sailing when Stevan Jovetic's clever close-range finish doubled the lead – but just as on Sunday against Burnley, the champions allowed struggling visitors to draw level from two goals behind.
Jack Rodwell's header halved the deficit and Adam Johnson's penalty restored parity, but within 100 seconds substitute Frank Lampard headed home to complete a bewildering five-goal 16-minute spell. Manuel Pellegrini will be pleased that his side improved their accuracy – 10 of their 17 second-half efforts on target troubled Pantilimon – and managed to regain the lead, but with Everton, Arsenal and Chelsea to play this month he will be worried about his side's mental strength.
- Sunderland did not have a single attempt (including blocked shots) until the 40th minute.
- Manchester City had 15 shots in the first-half but only 2 on target.
- Yaya Toure has scored in 3 consecutive PL games for the first time.
- The Ivorian colossus has scored in 6 of his last 8 league appearances.
- Stevan Jovetic scored his first PL goal since early December, when he also netted against Sunderland.
- Indeed the Montenegrin forward has 2 goals and 3 assists in 3 Premier League appearances against the Black Cats.
- Adam Johnson has scored in 3 of his last 4 Premier League games.
- Frank Lampard has scored 9 PL goals against Sunderland; only against Aston Villa (13) and Bolton (12) has he scored more.
- Lampard's last headed goal in the PL was also against Sunderland, in December 2013.
- The former England midfield edged ahead of Thierry Henry into outright fourth place in the all-time PL top scorers chart (176).
- The Citizens equalled the record for most shots on target (12) by a team in a PL game this season; 10 of these came after half-time.
- Gael Clichy made the same number of assists today as he had in his last 55 PL appearances combined (2).
- The 5 goals in this game came in just 16 minutes and 12 seconds.
- Manchester City have won 9 and lost none of their 11 Premier League home games against the Black Cats.
