Haaland hat-trick chaos! Man City v Arsenal thriller shakes title race – Live

Haaland explodes with a hat-trick, De Bruyne pulls strings, but Arsenal hit back late. Did City just send a title message or leave the door open?

Kick-off! As of today, 2026-02-25, the pitch is on fire... You wanted football results today? You got absolute chaos. At the Etihad, Manchester City and Arsenal just dropped a Premier League live classic that is going to be talked about for the rest of the season – a seven-goal rollercoaster where Erling Haaland went full monster mode, but Arsenal refused to die.

Man City 4–3 Arsenal – Haaland goes nuclear, but Arsenal won't quit

If you missed this, you honestly missed peak modern football. Manchester City smashed Arsenal 4–3 in a game that felt like a Champions League night wrapped inside a league showdown. The football results today hit a different level in Manchester.

City came out flying. On 12 minutes, Kevin De Bruyne did Kevin De Bruyne things: he drifted into the right half-space, clipped a filthy ball to the back post, and Erling Haaland bullied two defenders to power a header past the keeper. 1–0, and the Etihad exploded.

Arsenal actually responded well. On 26', Bukayo Saka cut inside from the right, played a one-two with Martin Ødegaard, and drilled a low left-footed shot into the far corner. City were stunned, 1–1, and suddenly the away fans were drowning out the home crowd.

But Haaland wasn't done. On 39', a loose ball dropped on the edge of the box, he shrugged off a challenge and ripped a right-footed thunderbolt that kissed the underside of the bar on its way in. 2–1 City, Haaland brace, pure chaos.

The second half turned into a straight-up shootout. On 54', De Bruyne again slipped a delicious through ball between Arsenal's centre-backs, Haaland timed his run perfectly, rounded the keeper and tapped in for his hat-trick. 3–1, and it felt like game over.

Not to Arsenal, though. On 67', a corner caused mayhem in the box, and Gabriel Jesus reacted quickest to stab home from close range. 3–2, and suddenly everyone in the stadium remembered just how fragile a lead can be in this league.

Then came the first big VAR meltdown of the night. On 74', City thought they had a penalty after Haaland went down under a challenge from William Saliba. The ref pointed to the spot, but after a three-minute VAR check full of replays and angry gesturing, the decision was overturned. Social media? Instantly on fire.

City channeled the anger. On 79', De Bruyne found space again and whipped in a cross that took a deflection and dropped kindly to Phil Foden, who smashed home from 10 yards. 4–2, and this time it really did feel done.

Except Arsenal had one more punch. Deep into stoppage time, Ødegaard floated a free-kick to the back post, and substitute Leandro Trossard ghosted in to volley across goal and in. 4–3. Too little, too late, but the scoreline told the story: City were scary going forward, vulnerable at the back, and Arsenal aren't going away quietly.

Stars under the spotlight: heroes & flops

• Erling Haaland (Man City) – Absolute joke of a performance. Hat-trick, constant menace, bullying defenders for fun. Clinical in front of goal and living rent-free in Arsenal's back line.
• Kevin De Bruyne (Man City) – Two assists and probably could've had more. His vision shredded Arsenal repeatedly. When he's fit and in this kind of mood, City look like a different animal.
• Bukayo Saka (Arsenal) – Big-game mentality. Took his goal brilliantly, tracked back like crazy, and kept asking questions of City's defence all night.
• Martin Ødegaard (Arsenal) – Quiet for spells but still produced a clever assist and a wicked late set-piece that created the third goal. Not his most dominant display, but still influential.
• Defensive units (both teams) – Honestly? Shaky. City gave away cheap chances, Arsenal got bullied physically. Seven goals tell you everything about how open this game was.

Champions League news: Real Madrid edge late thriller in Spain

Elsewhere in Europe, the Champions League news delivered its own drama as Real Madrid scraped a 2–1 home win against a stubborn opponent at the Bernabéu. Of course, Jude Bellingham was right in the middle of it.

Madrid went ahead early through Vinícius Júnior, who danced past his marker and curled a right-footed finish inside the far post. Classic Vini: quick feet, cold finish.

But things got messy. Early in the second half, Madrid switched off at a set piece and conceded the 1–1 equaliser from close range. Cue tension, whistles from the home crowd, and Carlo Ancelotti looking like he'd seen this movie too many times.

The winner? Who else – Bellingham. In the 88th minute, he timed his late run into the box to perfection, met a low cross first time and buried the ball low into the corner. 2–1, limbs everywhere, and exactly why he's already a Bernabéu favourite.

Bellingham's overall performance was classic big-game Jude: demanding the ball, driving forward, barking instructions, and stepping up when it mattered most. Vini was electric early but faded a bit, while Madrid's defence looked shaky under pressure. Still, when you have match-winners like this, you survive nights like these.

Title race context: what this chaos means for the table

City's 4–3 win over Arsenal is absolutely massive in the Premier League title race. The gap at the top tightens, the pressure on every single point ramps up, and the narrative flips again. Arsenal's late fightback keeps their belief alive, but dropping points in a direct head-to-head is brutal at this stage of the season.

Meanwhile, other football results today across the league mean the chasing pack are still lurking, but it's starting to feel like a two-team sprint again – unless someone below them strings together a ridiculous run.

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

Social Media Spotlight: Haaland, VAR and pure drama

If you jump on your phone right now, you'll see exactly where the football world is focused – that overturned VAR penalty for Haaland and the madness of a seven-goal thriller. The official hashtag #MCIAFC is absolutely flooded with clips, freeze-frames of the Saliba challenge, and fans arguing over whether it was stonewall or a total dive.

My take: statement win… with a warning label

From a young reporter's seat, this felt like a classic City flex with a big asterisk. Haaland and De Bruyne were outrageous – this is exactly the kind of performance that screams title favourites. When those two are locked in, it's almost unfair.

But conceding three at home in a supposed "statement" game is a red flag. City looked vulnerable every time Arsenal attacked with pace. If they play like this in a Champions League knockout against a ruthless side, they could be in real trouble.

Arsenal, though? They walk away bruised but not broken. Saka and Ødegaard showed real character, and that late Trossard goal feels like a little mental victory – a reminder that they can still land punches even when they're on the ropes. In my opinion, if Arsenal can tighten up defensively and keep this attacking edge, the title race stays alive deep into the run-in.

As for Madrid, Bellingham just keeps writing his own script. If he keeps popping up with late winners, you can book them a deep Champions League run right now.

Final whistle: more drama incoming

So yeah, if you were hunting for football results today, you got served absolute chaos at the top level – a Haaland hat-trick, VAR controversy, a seven-goal Premier League live epic, and Bellingham doing Bellingham things in Europe.

And this is just the kind of night that flips the whole mood of a season. City feel unstoppable again, Arsenal are wounded but dangerous, and everyone else is just trying to keep up.

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.