Enzo Fernandez took the individual honours after Man City’s 5-3 victory over Sunderland, but his developing partnership with Elliot Anderson was another feature of Enzo Maresca’s fifth successive Premier League win.
Fernandez scored his first City goal after nine minutes at the Etihad and was named man of the match by the club as Maresca’s side maintained their perfect league start.
City also described the Fernandez-Anderson combination as a “burgeoning partnership”, and successive Premier League starts together suggest it is one Maresca wants to explore.
Fernandez and Anderson make their case
Anderson and Fernandez started together in midfield for the 1-0 Manchester derby victory at Old Trafford and were retained against Sunderland, either side of a Carabao Cup tie against Norwich in which Maresca made ten changes.
The circumstances could hardly have been more different. City spent most of the derby with ten men following Phil Foden’s first-half red card, while Sunderland turned Sunday’s game into an open contest and scored three times through Brian Brobbey.
Anderson was named City’s man of the match at Old Trafford after an industrious performance in difficult circumstances. Against Sunderland, it was Fernandez who took the award after opening the scoring and making his presence felt in midfield.
His ninth-minute free-kick caught goalkeeper Robin Roefs out at the near post for his first City goal. Anderson’s contribution was less conspicuous but he completed more passes than any other player on the pitch. The 23-year-old has quickly established himself in Maresca’s plans following his summer arrival from Nottingham Forest.
Man City midfield beginning to take shape
Two Premier League games together is a small sample, and Sunderland certainly found ways through City on Sunday. That makes it too early to suggest Maresca has settled permanently on Anderson and Fernandez, particularly with other midfield options available and a long season ahead.
There are, though, encouraging signs. Fernandez had already produced an impressive performance at Old Trafford, which we examined in our analysis of City’s £125m midfielder. He followed that with his first goal for the club and another man-of-the-match display against Sunderland.
Anderson has been similarly prominent, taking the individual honour in the derby before playing every minute of Sunday’s win. Maresca has started the same pair in two very different Premier League matches and City have found a way to win both.
There will be tougher examinations of the partnership, not least after the chances Sunderland created at the Etihad, but Anderson and Fernandez have given their manager good reason to keep looking at the combination.
LIVE! Premier League 2026/27 News, Transfers, Updates & Viral Moments
