Defeat at City a game too far for Black Cats after exhausting week

Sunderland fell to a 3-0 defeat as they faced Pep Guardiola's Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

- by Phil Smith

Our Sunderland writer Phil Smith was there reporting and these were his key conclusions...

Man City test one too many for impressive Sunderland side

Had you offered Sunderland fans four points from three games at the start of this most demanding week, most would have readily accepted it. Had you offered it when Tyler Adams lobbed Robin Roefs from just inside Sunderland's half to put Bournemouth 2-0 up inside 15 minutes at the Stadium of Light, most would have been utterly elated.

Which is not to excuse Sunderland's shortcomings here, or to say that there aren't lessons to learn.

It's just to say that in the broader context of the campaign, Sunderland's start to a six-week period that had been earmarked for some time as a potentially very challenging one has been solid.

The view from inside the Sunderland dressing room was that they had been a little too respectful in the first half, and it was clear that they were leaving with some regrets.

It's also true that this was a brutally difficult assignment, coming just days after two excellent and committed performances from the Black Cats.

Away from home, these are games where you need to be at your very best and hope that your opponents are short of theirs.