City on a roll: Five-game win streak as Haaland transfer rumours heat up
Flying start under Maresca
Manchester City are in fine form as the 2026/27 season gets underway. The Sky Blues are on a five-match unbeaten run in the Premier League — winning all five — and have scored more goals than any other side in the top flight so far this term. Maresca's men have already beaten rivals Manchester United 1-0 at Old Trafford in the derby on 13 September, a result that sent shockwaves through English football.
Latest result: City edge thriller against Sunderland
In their most recent Premier League outing on 20 September, Manchester City put on a goal-fest at the Etihad Stadium, beating Sunderland 5-3 in what has already been confirmed as the highest-scoring match of the 2026/27 Premier League season so far. Erling Haaland, who tops the league scoring charts with five goals, was among the contributors as City made it five wins from five in the league.
Champions League: City win at Porto
City have also made a positive start in Europe. In the UEFA Champions League league phase, they secured a 2-0 victory away at Porto, putting them in the top eight of the standings after matchday one. Upcoming European home fixtures include Paris Saint-Germain on 14 October and AEK Athens on 20 October.
Women's team: Brave draw at Bayern in the UWCL
On the women's side, Manchester City Women — defending WSL champions — made a resilient start to their UEFA Women's Champions League campaign, coming from two goals down to draw 2-2 at Bayern Munich on 23 September. The Men's first team and youth sides were on international break this week, so the women's result was the main talking point from City's camp.
Injury update: Doku still sidelined
Belgian winger Jérémy Doku remains a concern for Maresca. The pacy attacker has not featured since picking up a calf injury during the Community Shield against Arsenal back in August, and reports ahead of the Manchester derby indicated he still needed more time to recover. New £125m signing Enzo Fernández — who joined from Chelsea on deadline day — has been confirmed fit and available, giving Maresca a big boost in midfield.
Transfer talk
RUMOUR: The biggest transfer story circling Manchester City right now is the future of Erling Haaland. According to reports from TEAMtalk — published in the last 48 hours — Bayern Munich have begun formal due diligence on the Norwegian striker as a long-term successor to Harry Kane. Barcelona and Real Madrid are also said to be monitoring the situation, potentially creating a three-way battle for Haaland's signature if he were to become available. However, City fans should not panic: Haaland signed a contract extension until 2034, giving the club enormous leverage, and all parties — including the player's own camp — have played down any immediate move. The rumour mill is very much running ahead of reality here, but the noise will not go away while City's trophy cabinet remains the striker's main incentive to stay.
Sources
- 2026–27 Manchester City F.C. season – Wikipedia
- Man City Results – Manchester City Official Site
- 2026–27 Premier League – Wikipedia
- Manchester City rally from two down to draw 2-2 at Bayern (Women's UCL) – ESPN
- Enzo Maresca: Jérémy Doku will miss Man City's Premier League opener – ESPN
- Enzo Maresca reveals Enzo Fernandez debut – Yahoo Sports