By SCM Sports Writer
THE ETIHAD STADIUM is becoming a fortress of fear for Premier League rivals after Pep Guardiola’s title-chasers demolished a gutsy Sunderland side with a stunning 3-0 victory.
The magnificent Etihad was rocking as City piled on the pressure, securing yet another massive three points on their own turf and keeping the heat firmly on table-toppers Arsenal.
The home ground’s incredible run of seven successive Premier League home wins proved too much for the Black Cats, who arrived with a decent record but left with nothing to show for their tireless efforts.
Sunderland set up shop to frustrate, but the sheer size and relentless nature of the champions’ playground eventually told.
It took a thunderbolt from the unlikely source of centre-back Ruben Dias (31), whose 25-yard screamer lit up the vast stadium and broke the deadlock, sending a message to their rivals that no place is safe for visitors.
The deafening noise of the crowd, spurred on by the opener, quickly spurred on a second, as defensive partner Josko Gvardiol (35) nodded home just four minutes later. The place erupted!
While the goals were flying in, it was a moment of sheer theatre that brought the house down in the second half.
Rayan Cherki, having tortured the Sunderland defence all afternoon, delivered an INSANE rabona cross that found Phil Foden (65) to head in City’s third.
It was a goal worthy of the grand stage, with the Etihad faithful roaring their approval for a piece of skill that defied physics!
The result cements the Etihad as a Premier League stronghold, moving City to within just two points of the leaders.
For poor Sunderland, they’ll be relieved to get away from the theatre of blues. Their troubles were compounded when Luke O’Nien was sent off for a reckless tackle in added time.
The Etihad is more than just a ground – it’s a terrifying colosseum where opponents come to grief!
