BangerboyIn an eight-goal thriller at the Etihad Stadium, Sunderland forward Brian Brobbey matched a rare statistical feat following his sensational treble in a 5-3 defeat against Manchester City. Despite ending up on the losing end of the pitch, the former Ajax forward produced a stunning individual display that saw him become only the sixth player in Premier League history to score a hat-trick for a losing team. That specific statistical quirk, last achieved by Roque Santa Cruz for Blackburn Rovers back in December 2007, ended a nearly two-decade-long period without a Premier League player netting a treble in a losing effort.
Brobbey led the charge for the Black Cats by repeatedly answering the reigning champions. He opened his account in the 12th minute to cancel out Enzo Fernández’s opener before striking again in the 33rd minute to peg back the hosts after Rayan Cherki had restored their lead. After Antoine Semenyo’s double pushed Manchester City into a 4-2 advantage, Brobbey completed his historic treble in the 59th minute by prodding past Gianluigi Donnarumma. Though Erling Haaland eventually sealed the victory for City late in the match, Brobbey’s relentless attacking prowess kept Sunderland within striking distance for much of the contest.
The Dutch striker’s treble also etched his name into another set of elite record books. Brobbey became just the fourth player in the Premier League era to score a hat-trick against a team starting the day at the top of the table. He joins an illustrious group featuring Robbie Fowler, Dirk Kuyt, and Romelu Lukaku. Furthermore, Brobbey became the first Sunderland player to score a top-flight hat-trick since Jermain Defoe dismantled Swansea City in January 2016, and only the sixth player in the club’s history to score three goals in a single Premier League fixture. Although the final result yielded no points for his team, Brobbey’s performance ensured his place in Premier League lore.
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