Haaland hat-trick carnage as Man City smash Spurs – Premier League live
07.02.2026 - 20:17:13
From the first whistle, City smelled blood. They pressed high, snapped into every duel and basically told Spurs: you're not leaving here with anything. The breakthrough came early – and who else but Erling Haaland? After a slick one-two between Bernardo Silva and Kevin De Bruyne on the edge of the box, De Bruyne slipped a low pass into the channel, Haaland bullied Cristian Romero out of the way and slammed a left-foot rocket past Guglielmo Vicario. One chance, one goal: classic Haaland.
Tottenham actually fired back with a moment of quality. Dejan Kulusevski drove in from the right, slipped a ball into the feet of Son Heung-min, and the Korean star finished first time across Ederson for 1–1. Son looked sharp early, buzzing into pockets and trying to hit City on the break, but that equaliser only woke the champions up even more.
Match Analysis: Haaland the monster, De Bruyne the architect
City's second goal was pure football art. Rodri nicked the ball in midfield, fed Phil Foden between the lines, and Foden instantly laid it off to De Bruyne. KDB didn't even need a touch to see Haaland's diagonal run. One outrageous, curled through-ball later, Haaland was in again, rounding Vicario and rolling it into the empty net for 2–1. That's his second of the night, and you could feel the air going out of Spurs.
Kevin De Bruyne looked like he'd never been injured in his life – outside-of-the-boot passes, disguised through-balls, and one filthy nutmeg on Rodrigo Bentancur that had the Etihad roaring. Every time City broke, you expected him to find Haaland or Foden. Foden himself was electric between the lines, dragging defenders out of position and combining with Bernardo Silva, but this show belonged to the big No. 9.
The third goal, though, is what will be replayed on every highlight reel tonight. A City corner was half-cleared by Micky van de Ven, the ball looped up on the edge of the box, and Haaland attacked it like it owed him money. Overhead kick. Yes, really. Erling Haaland, six-foot-everything, hanging in the air and smashing it into the top corner for his hat-trick. 3–1 City, hat-trick signed and sealed. The stadium absolutely exploded.
Spurs didn't totally fold. Brennan Johnson forced a big save out of Ederson, and Richarlison (on as a sub) nearly poked one in at the back post. But their defending was way too open, and once City smell space, it's game over. Late on, City killed it completely: substitute Julián Álvarez pressed high, robbed Pierre-Emile Højbjerg on the edge of the box and slid it to Bernardo Silva, who coolly finished into the far corner for 4–1.
Big names check: heroes & flops
- Erling Haaland – Absolute monster. Three goals, nonstop tormenting Tottenham's back line, smashing records and probably ruining a few fantasy leagues in the process.
- Kevin De Bruyne – Two assists, total control. When he's in this rhythm, City look unbeatable. His chemistry with Haaland is just unfair.
- Son Heung-min – Bright start, well-taken equaliser, but faded as the game got stretched. Missed a huge one-on-one at 2–1 that could have flipped the script entirely.
- Cristian Romero – Lived on the edge as always, but tonight it backfired. Physically bullied by Haaland, caught out of position for the second goal, and at the centre of the big VAR controversy.
VAR mayhem: penalty or robbery?
The most talked-about flashpoint came at 2–1. Early in the second half, Son sprinted onto a lofted ball and cut inside Rúben Dias. As he broke into the box, Romero overlapped and tried to latch onto a loose touch, but went down under a challenge from Joško Gvardiol. The referee initially pointed to the spot, giving Spurs a lifeline, but VAR called him over to the monitor.
On replay, it looked like the slightest clip from Gvardiol, with Romero also initiating contact. After a long check – and a chorus of boos from both sets of fans for different reasons – the referee overturned the penalty. No spot-kick, City kept their lead, and moments later Haaland went up the other end and scored that outrageous overhead kick. You can literally see the timeline of Spurs fans on X (Twitter) melting down in real time over that call.
That sequence is the hot topic right now: Spurs fans are screaming about "clear and obvious" while neutrals are split 50-50. Some say Romero went looking for it, others think the contact is enough for a penalty. Either way, the momentum swing was brutal – instead of 2–2 from the spot, it was 3–1 to City and game done.
Title race context: City send a message
This win does more than just give City another three points – it sends a loud, echoing warning to everyone above and below them. Haaland hitting top gear again, De Bruyne looking sharp, and the Etihad turning into a fortress all over – that's nightmare fuel for the rest of the Premier League.
Spurs, on the other hand, stay stuck in that weird zone between top-four hopeful and chaos merchant. Ange-ball is fun, but nights like this expose how wild their high line can be against elite finishers. Dropping points here could be huge in the race for Champions League spots.
What does this mean for the title race? City close the gap and crank up the pressure on the teams above them. Spurs lose ground in the top-four chase, and every draw from now on becomes a crisis. Click here for the live standings
Social Media Spotlight: Haaland trends, VAR explodes
The Internet is Exploding: 3 Social Media Highlights
X Discussion: Fans raging over the overturned VAR penalty and Haaland's overhead kick
Reporter's take: City look scary again
Honestly, from the press box this felt like one of those nights where City remind everyone why they're still the standard. When Erling Haaland is this locked in and De Bruyne is carving teams open at will, there's not much you can do. The hat-trick wasn't just about goals – his movement, his physicality, his presence terrified Spurs' back line all game.
For Spurs, it's a gut punch. I love the bravery of Ange-ball, but away at the Etihad, with Haaland on a heater, you have to tweak something. That high line felt reckless, and leaving Romero and van de Ven isolated against Haaland made the outcome feel inevitable. In my opinion, that's on the manager as much as the players – you can be entertaining and still be a bit smarter in big away games.
Bottom line: if this is the version of City we're getting for the run-in, the rest of the league better find an extra gear – fast.
We're not done tonight either – across Europe there are more soccer games kicking off, more top scorers today trying to chase Golden Boot races, and more twists coming in the Champions League picture. But the headline belongs to Haaland and City: statement win, statement performance, and the title race just got a whole lot louder.
Check full stats & standings now
Editorial Note: This article is for entertainment and information purposes regarding current sports events. Sports betting and financial investments carry risks. Please gamble responsibly. Always check odds and terms with the provider.
