Brian Brobbey scored three times in Sunderland's 5-3 defeat by Manchester City, and that was enough to place him in a tiny Premier League group. He became only the fifth different player to score a hat-trick in a losing side, and the first since 2007.
BBC Sport called it a moment where Brobbey “etched his name in Premier League history on Sunday after scoring a hat-trick as part of the losing side.” The same report noted that he is now only the fifth different player to do it in the competition. It was only the sixth time since the Premier League began in 1992, which gives the feat its edge.
Brobbey's place in Premier League history
The list is short for a reason. BBC Sport said Brobbey joined the group after netting three times during Sunderland's 5-3 defeat by Manchester City, and that the last time a Premier League player did the same was in 2007. Matt le Tissier managed it twice, while Roque Santa Cruz did it for Blackburn Rovers in a 5-3 defeat by Wigan Athletic in December 2007.
Sunderland's result and Brobbey's output
The defeat matters because the team result was ugly, but Brobbey's individual return was still substantial. He has scored 3 Premier League goals in 4 appearances this season, with the hat-trick accounting for all of them. His 7.16 season rating also points to a strong return in spite of the loss.
Manchester City have won all five of their last five league games, while Sunderland's recent league run is one win, one draw and three defeats. That sits behind a scoreline that will be remembered less for the 5-3 result and more for Brobbey's place in a rare part of Premier League history.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →
