Haaland hat-trick chaos as Man City rip Palace – Premier League live drama
11.02.2026 - 09:34:18 | ad-hoc-news.deYou want drama? You got it. You want goals? Haaland basically turned the penalty area into his personal playground. And with the title race tightening up, every pass, every shot, every tackle suddenly feels like it's worth way more than three points.
Haaland goes full machine mode at Selhurst Park
Crystal Palace 1–4 Manchester City – and the scoreline doesn't even tell the full story of the chaos. City started sharp, but Palace actually drew first blood. On 14 minutes, a quick counter down the right saw Michael Olise zip a low ball into the box, and Jean-Philippe Mateta was ice cold, smashing a right-footed finish past Ederson into the bottom corner. Palace 1–0, Selhurst bouncing, City stunned.But you can only poke the beast for so long. On 29 minutes, City equalised with a goal that looked straight out of the training ground. Kevin De Bruyne drifted into the half-space, clipped a gorgeous lofted ball into the area, and Erling Haaland bullied his marker, chesting it down and lashing it left-footed beyond the keeper. Goal scorers: Mateta for Palace, Haaland for City – game very much on.
Just before half-time, City flipped the whole script. De Bruyne again was the architect, slipping a disguised pass into Phil Foden inside the box. Foden shaped to shoot, dragged Joachim Andersen out of position, then squared unselfishly across goal. Haaland, of course, was there. Simple tap-in, simple finish, second for him, second for City. Palace heads dropped, City 2–1 up at the break, and you could feel the momentum completely swing.
Second-half siege: Haaland hat-trick and a Rodri rocket
If Palace hoped for a response, City just doubled down on the pressure. The third goal was pure chaos. In the 57th minute, a De Bruyne corner caused pinball in the six-yard box. A Rodri header was blocked on the line, the ball popped loose, and who else but Haaland reacted first, smashing home from close range for his hat-trick. Three shots on target, three goals – clinical doesn't even cover it. The top scorers today list is basically a Haaland fan club right now.Palace tried to push higher, leaving huge gaps, and City punished them again. In the 71st minute, Bernardo Silva drove forward and laid it back to Rodri on the edge of the area. The Spaniard didn't think twice – he rifled a thunderous right-footed strike into the top corner. Goal scorer: Rodri, and the net probably still shaking. 4–1 City, game over, statement delivered.
Stars check-in: Who balled out and who disappeared?
Erling Haaland – absolute monster. Three goals, relentless movement, bullying centre-backs like it was a playground. Whether it's fine margins in the football league table or just pure intimidation, having a striker this lethal changes everything. He's the reason defenders don't sleep on matchday eve.Kevin De Bruyne – puppet master. Two assists, but honestly he could have had more. His passing between the lines shredded Palace's midfield, and his understanding with Haaland is getting scarier by the week. Every time City broke, you just expected the ball to land at his feet before something dangerous happened.
Phil Foden – the glue. No goal, no official assist on the scoresheet this time, but his movement for that second goal was huge. Dropping into pockets, dragging defenders, linking up with De Bruyne – the kid makes City's patterns flow. Not the loudest performance, but massively important.
On the Palace side, Michael Olise showed flashes – that assist for Mateta was class – but he faded as City took control. Marc Guéhi and Joachim Andersen just couldn't cope with Haaland's physicality once City started slamming crosses and cutbacks into the box.
VAR check, red-card drama and late nerves
Even at 4–1, the game wouldn't calm down. In the 82nd minute, a long ball over the top sent Mateta racing through again. Manuel Akanji came across, there was a tangle of legs, and the referee originally waved play on. Cue the VAR check. The replays showed Akanji clipping Mateta just outside the box as last man. The ref got sent to the monitor, the crowd lost it, and after a long look… red card for Akanji.City were furious, Pep on the touchline absolutely raging, but the decision stood. Palace hammered a couple of dangerous free-kicks into the box, but Ederson and his back line held out. No goals from the drama, but you can bet that red card is going to be a hot talking point for days – especially if City feel the impact in their next round of soccer games.
What it means for the title race
That 4–1 win keeps City locked in a furious chase at the top of the Premier League live standings. With rivals breathing down their necks, goal difference and momentum both matter massively. Haaland boosting his tally helps in the Golden Boot race, but more importantly, City look like a side that's in full Champions League news mode: ruthless, sharp, and ready for knockout football.Arsenal and Liverpool fans will be watching this result with clenched teeth. Drop points now, and City's surge becomes unstoppable. Take points, and the run-in turns into total chaos. Either way, the latest football league table is a must-check after this one.
What does this mean for the title race? City tighten their grip near the top and keep the pressure sky-high on every rival chasing them. Click here for the live standings
Social Media Spotlight: Haaland, the hat-trick and the red-card rage
The online world went insane the second Haaland bagged his third. But just as big was the reaction to that late red card for Akanji – fans are split right down the middle between “stonewall last-man foul” and “soft, game already done, what's the point?”.Here's where the internet is melting down right now:
The Internet is Exploding: 3 Social Media Highlights
X Discussion: Fans raging and debating the late red card on Akanji
My take: City look terrifying – but that red could bite them
From a young reporter's seat, this felt like a message to the whole league. City didn't just win; they flexed. Haaland was in full cheat-code mode, De Bruyne ran the tempo like he had a remote control, and Rodri reminded everyone he can smack one from distance whenever he feels like it.But I'm not totally sold that everything is perfect. That Akanji red card? In my opinion, it was harsh but avoidable. City were cruising at 4–1, and the only way Palace were getting back into it was through something wild like that. One lapse in concentration, one slightly mistimed challenge, and suddenly City are a defender down for their next league clash. In a title race this tight, those suspensions add up fast.
I also think Palace missed a real chance after going 1–0 up. Once you score early against a giant like City, you either press like crazy for a second or you lock it down like your life depends on it. Instead, they sat in that messy middle zone, and against finishers like Haaland and creators like De Bruyne, that's basically asking for trouble.
Closing whistle: The race is heating up
So where does this leave us? City are roaring, Haaland is chasing every Golden Boot chart on earth, and the Premier League title fight just got even spicier. With every round of soccer games, one slip could flip the whole script – and nights like this show that City are not in the mood to blink first.If you're following the drama across the top scorers today, the latest match report headlines, and all the big soccer news from the Champions League to domestic battles, this is the part of the season where you never put your phone down and never change the channel.
Check full stats & standings now
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