Hat-trick hero Brobbey concedes 'it's hard being on the losing side when you're scoring three goals'

Sunderland hat-trick hero Brian Brobbey was left with a bittersweet feeling, after his treble proved academic in the Black Cats' defeat at Manchester City.

Regis Le Bris' were on the wrong end of an eight-goal thriller at the Etihad Stadium, where Man City eventually prevailed 5-3 to maintain their perfect start to the Premier League season.

Brobbey headed into the game still seeking his first goal of the campaign, having previously hit the target with just one of his six attempts.

Nevertheless, the former Ajax striker made amends as he became the first Sunderland player to score a Premier League hat-trick since Jermain Defoe against Swansea City in January 2016.

Brobbey was also the fourth player in the competition's history to net a treble against the side starting the day top of the table, after Robbie Fowler (against Aston Villa in November 1998), Dirk Kuyt (against Manchester United in March 2011), and Romelu Lukaku (also against Man United in May 2013). 

However, it proved to be the sixth instance of a player scoring a hat-trick in the Premier League, but ending up on the losing side, and the first since Roque Santa Cruz for Blackburn Rovers against Wigan Athletic in December 2007.

"It's hard being on the losing side when you're scoring three goals," Brobbey told Sky Sports. "It's really hard to lose.

"[The game] was up and down, up and down. Man City are a really good team with lots of quality, so yes, we tried.

"I think we played a really good game. We tried, it's hard when you lose. I'm really happy, obviously, with three goals. Now going into the international break, it's a good feeling."

Sunderland head into the international break with just four points from their opening five matches, but they have now scored in each of their last nine Premier League away games - their longest such streak in the competition.

"We just need to keep building," Brobbey added. "As a group, we have to keep going."