Sunderland star Brian Brobbey emulates Romelu Lukaku, Robbie Fowler with astonishing Man City scoring feat

Sunderland striker Brian Brobbey has achieved a Premier League feat managed by only three other players after his hat-trick against Manchester City.

The 24-year-old played the full 90 minutes at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday afternoon (September 20), when an eight-goal thriller on the blue side of Manchester ended in a 5-3 success for the hosts.

As a result, Man City are the only side in the division with a 100% record heading into the extended September/October international break following Arsenal's shock loss at Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday (September 19).

Citizens superstar Erling Haaland has now scored against all 25 Premier League sides he has faced after netting late on, with Enzo Fernandez, Rayan Cherki and Antoine Semenyo (2) also breaching the goal of Robin Roefs.

Man City head into the three-week international break after five consecutive wins on 15 points, three points ahead of second-placed Arsenal, whilst Sunderland are in 14th spot with just four points.

4 - Brian Brobbey is the fourth player in Premier League history to score a hat-trick against the side starting the day top of the table, after Robbie Fowler v Aston Villa in November 1998, Dirk Kuyt v Man Utd in March 2011, and Romelu Lukaku v Man Utd in May 2013. Unstoppable. https://t.co/vygVYazIQD
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) September 20, 2026

Brobbey emulates Lukaku, Fowler stunt in Man City defeat

Goals in the 12th, 33rd and 59th minute for Netherlands international Brobbey at Man City on Sunday meant that he became only the fourth player in the Premier League history to net a hat-trick against the side starting the day top of the table.

The first attacker to achieve the rather niche feat was Robbie Fowler in November 1998, when the Liverpool striker bagged thrice against league leaders Aston Villa in a 4-2 victory at Villa Park.

The first player to manage the stunt in the 21st century was another Liverpool star in the form Dirk Kuyt, with the Dutch hero scoring a hat-trick at Anfield versus Manchester United in March 2011.

Before Brobbey's antics, Romelu Lukaku was the latest player to score a hat-trick against the Premier League leaders, with the West Bromwich Albion loan man helping his side to a 5-5 draw versus Man United in May 2013.

That fixture at The Hawthorns was the final-ever match of Sir Alex Ferguson in the Red Devils dugout, with the legendary Scotsman winning the top flight for a 13th time during the 2012-13 campaign.

Brobbey looking to impress Xavi

After his exceptional performance at the Etihad, Sunderland striker Brobbey will turn his attentions to international duty, with former Barcelona midfielder Xavi taking charge of the Netherlands for the first time.

Following a disappointing round-of-32 exit at the 2026 World Cup, Oranje are vying for UEFA Nations League glory during this international cycle, placed in League A Group Two alongside Germany, Serbia and Greece.

Notably, Xavi has left all-time leading goalscoring Memphis Depay out of the September/October squad, meaning that there extra emphasis on Brobbey to provide the goals.