Haaland hat-trick chaos as Man City crush Brighton – Premier League live

Haaland’s ruthless hat-trick, De Bruyne magic and a late Brighton strike – did today’s Man City win just flip the title race on its head?

Kick-off! As of today, 2026-01-24, the pitch is on fire... You wanted football results today? Buckle up. Manchester City just tore into Brighton in a wild Premier League clash that felt like a title race statement, a Haaland showreel, and a defensive horror movie for the Seagulls all rolled into one.

Man City 4–1 Brighton: Haaland goes full cheat code

Etihad nights hit different, and today it was pure demolition. Manchester City smashed Brighton 4–1, with Erling Haaland dropping a brutal hat-trick and reminding everyone exactly why defenders have nightmares about him.

The opener came early: in the 14th minute, Kevin De Bruyne slipped a filthy threaded pass between the lines, Haaland bullied his marker, opened his body and drilled low past the keeper for 1–0. No backlift, no mercy.

Brighton tried to stay brave on the ball, but they got punished again. On 32 minutes, City countered from a lost Brighton corner. Phil Foden drove through the middle, slid it wide to Jeremy Doku, whose cut-back found Haaland at the penalty spot. One touch, top corner, 2–0. Thats just ruthless.

Right before half-time, De Bruyne did De Bruyne things. From a short corner routine, Foden played it short, De Bruyne worked a yard on the edge of the box and whipped a classic right-foot curler into the far top corner. Keeper flew, ball still kissed the net. 3–0, and the Etihad was bouncing.

Second-half drama: Brighton hit back, Haaland seals it

To their credit, Brighton didnt fold. On 56 minutes, they got a lifeline. A long spell of possession ended with Kaoru Mitoma isolating his full-back, cutting inside and unleashing a low shot. It deflected off Rúben Dias, wrong-footed the keeper and trickled in for 3–1.

Then the chaos moment: on 64 minutes, Brighton thought they were properly back in it when João Pedro smashed home from close range after a scramble. The stadium went dead silent, but VAR jumped in. After a long check, the goal was chalked off for a tight offside in the build-up. City fans roared, Brighton players raged  and that became the hot topic online instantly.

City finished it the Haaland way. In the 78th minute, De Bruyne clipped a cross into the box, Haaland shoved through two defenders and powered a towering header into the far corner to complete his hat-trick. 4–1, vibes: "title contenders, deal with us."

Star watch: heroes and flops

• Erling Haaland  Absolute monster. Three goals, could have had four. Movement, strength, killer instinct. This was prime No. 9 dominance.
• Kevin De Bruyne  One goal, at least one official assist and about a million dangerous balls. He basically played Brighton like a piano.
• Phil Foden  Not on the scoresheet, but constantly finding pockets, drawing fouls, and linking everything together.
• Brighton defence  Honestly? Rough day. They tried to play out from the back against the wrong team and paid full price.

What this means for the Premier League title race

This win doesnt just pad Citys goal difference; it cranks up the pressure on everyone around them. With this three-point haul and a chunky boost to goals scored, City tighten their grip on the top spots and slam a marker down for the rest of the season.

Brighton, on the other hand, slide further away from the European spots. Their brave style is fun, but days like this show how brutal it can be against the very best. Dropped points here might be the difference between European nights and mid-table comfort come May.

What does this mean for the title race? Click here for the live standings

Other key football results today

Across Europe, the football results today kept the drama coming. In La Liga, Jude Bellingham once again turned into Real Madrids clutch machine, scoring a late winner in a tight 21 victory. He bundled home from close range after a recycled corner, adding to an earlier strike from a teammate and reminding everyone that hes not just hype, hes pure end product.

Over in Ligue 1, Kylian Mbappé was, unsurprisingly, the headline again. He bagged a brace in a 30 PSG win, smashing home a penalty and then curling in a trademark right-foot finish from the left channel. No chaos, just business: two goals, a couple of nutmegs, and defenders sent home with broken confidence.

In the Bundesliga, the top scorers today included a sharp double from a leading number nine in a 20 win that kept his side right in the title fight. He opened the scoring with a poachers finish inside the six-yard box and then wrapped it up with a sliding tap-in at the back post.

Social Media Spotlight: The Internet melts down over VAR & Haaland

While the football league table is shifting, the timeline is absolutely exploding. The big talking points? That disallowed Brighton goal and Haaland doing video-game numbers again.

Reporters take: This felt like a warning shot

From my seat, this didnt feel like "just another home win" for City. This felt like a deliberate, cold-blooded warning to the rest of the league. Haalands movement is sharper, De Bruyne looks locked in again, and Foden is playing with that swagger that says he knows he belongs at the very top.

For Brighton, I love the courage, but theres a line between brave and reckless. You cant try to pass through a City press for 90 minutes and expect not to get punished. In my opinion, the manager has to tweak the approach in these big away games. Same philosophy, slightly more street-smart. Because right now, its costing them serious points.

Elsewhere, Bellingham and Mbappé keep writing their weekly chapters in the "best in the world" debate. Honestly, pick any of Haaland, Mbappé, Bellingham on a day like this and youd feel confident building a whole era around them. Today, though, the spotlight belongs to Haaland. Three goals, one massive statement.

Closing whistle: Dont blink, the season is twisting

If today is anything to go by, the run-in is going to be chaos. City are hammering on the top spot, Brighton are fighting to keep the European dream alive, and across Europe the usual superstars are padding their numbers and their legends.

Want to see exactly how much todays chaos shook things up? The table doesnt lie.

Check full stats & standings now

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