Confidence continues to build at the Etihad with Manchester City on a five-game winning streak, but Sunderland could well make an awkward opponent at the weekend.
City's 1-0 win at Manchester United on Sunday was always going to lift spirits, especially as Enzo Maresca's 10 men made the Red Devils look incredibly ordinary.
But they are struggling to put teams to bed with three of their four league wins by one-goal margins and only two first-half goals scored of their eight in total.
They are hard to oppose in a fixture they always win, but there is definitely a case to be made for thinking that it could take City a while to wear down Regis Le Bris' men, as was the case for Arsenal at the Stadium of Light last Saturday.
It was all-square between Sunderland and the champions at the break, and it was Arsenal who blinked first, conceding a penalty which should have gifted the hosts the lead.
They missed, however, and Bruno Guimaraes went up the other end and scored. Arsenal then went 2-0 up, leaving Sunderland left to lament a gutsy performance going unrewarded.
What we have learned over the first month of the season is that Sunderland are going to be no less tenacious and competitive than they were last season, and they should provide a challenge for the home side. With that in mind, the Black Cats should at the very least keep this scoreline respectable.
Manchester City vs Sunderland prediction: Sunderland +1.5 (-115) available at time of publishing. Playable to -125.
