Haaland hat-trick chaos! Man City v Spurs thriller rocks title race live
23.01.2026 - 08:45:28
Man City 3–2 Tottenham – Haaland goes nuclear, VAR steals the spotlight
If you're searching for football results today with pure chaos, this is the match. Manchester City edged Tottenham 3–2 in a breathless classic that had goals, controversy, and one very angry away bench.
City struck first on 14 minutes: Kevin De Bruyne split the Spurs backline with one of those trademark laser passes, and Erling Haaland bullied his way between the centre-backs before smashing low past the keeper. 1–0, routine? Not a chance.
Spurs hit back on 29 minutes. After a sharp counter down the right, Son Heung-min cut inside and slipped in Richarlison, who drilled a left-footed finish into the far corner. 1–1 and suddenly the Etihad got tense.
Then came Haaland's second – and it was brutal. In the 41st minute, Bernardo Silva floated a cross into the box. Haaland peeled off his marker, climbed higher than everyone else, and powered a header into the top corner. 2–1 City, the Norwegian machine in full destroyer mode.
The second half exploded. On 63 minutes, Spurs thought they'd levelled when Dejan Kulusevski lashed home from the edge of the area. But VAR stepped in: after a long check, Son Heung-min was ruled offside in the buildup. The away fans lost it, the Spurs bench went ballistic, and the whole stadium was buzzing about that one decision.
That VAR call became the boiling point – the clear Hot Topic online. Replays showed Son marginally ahead of the last defender. Technically offside, but by millimetres. Spurs fans are convinced they were robbed; neutrals are split; City fans are just shrugging and looking at the scoreboard.
City took advantage. On 71 minutes, De Bruyne slipped another slick through-ball into space, and yes, again, it was Erling Haaland. Clean through, one touch to set, one touch to finish, low and ruthless into the corner. Hat-trick complete. 3–1 and pure pandemonium in the stands.
Spurs tried to drag it back and got one late lifeline on 88 minutes when James Maddison curled a gorgeous free-kick into the top corner for 3–2. A world-class strike that would usually be the headline goal of the day – if Haaland hadn't decided to turn the game into his personal showreel.
Heroes and flops: how the stars performed
- Erling Haaland (Man City) – Absolute monster. A clinical hat-trick, constant movement, bullied defenders all game. This is title-winning form, and you can feel it.
- Kevin De Bruyne (Man City) – Two assists and basically puppeteered the tempo. When he drops deep, everything City do just looks sharper.
- Son Heung-min (Spurs) – Dangerous on the break, set up the disallowed goal and fed Richarlison for the equaliser. But he'll be haunted by that VAR offside for days.
- James Maddison (Spurs) – That late free-kick was pure art, but he drifted in and out of the game when Spurs needed consistent control.
Big picture? City looked slightly vulnerable at the back again, but when Haaland and De Bruyne are locked in like this, they can just outscore problems. Spurs had their moments, yet their high line and lapses in tracking runners were practically an invitation for City's front line.
Elsewhere in Europe – Bellingham and Mbappé keep the spotlight
La Liga: Real Madrid grind it out with Bellingham decisive again
Over in Spain, Real Madrid pulled off a tight 2–1 win in one of tonight's standout football results today. Jude Bellingham was at it again, scoring the opener with a smart late run into the box on 33 minutes, finishing from close range after Vinícius Jr's low cut-back.
The visitors equalised early in the second half through a scrappy goal finished by Álvaro García, but Bellingham's influence never faded. On 79 minutes he slipped a through-ball into Rodrygo, who calmly tucked away the winner. Bellingham: one goal, one assist, and once more looking like the absolute heartbeat of Madrid's midfield.
Ligue 1: Mbappé delivers, of course
In France, Paris Saint-Germain eased to a 3–0 win with Kylian Mbappé again leading the charge. He opened the scoring with a trademark burst in behind on 22 minutes, then added a second from the penalty spot midway through the second half. The third was finished by Gonçalo Ramos after Mbappé's shot was parried into his path.
Mbappé looked in cruise control – not even at full tilt, and still completely unplayable. Defenders are basically choosing between getting beaten for pace or conceding a foul on the edge of the area.
Title race temperature check: what this all means
Back to England, because that City win over Spurs is massive. With those three points, City tighten their grip near the top, putting serious pressure on their closest rivals and keeping the Premier League live race absolutely raging.
Spurs, meanwhile, slip further away from the leading pack and are looking over their shoulders in the battle for Champions League spots. That disallowed Kulusevski goal will sting even more when they look at the table tomorrow morning.
What does this mean for the title race? Click here for the live standings
Social Media Spotlight – the web is melting down
The Internet is Exploding: 3 Social Media Highlights
X Discussion: Fans raging over the VAR offside on Son and the disallowed Kulusevski 'equaliser'
Reporter's take: brutal honesty time
From where I'm sitting, City look like they're hitting that scary spring mode early. When Haaland smells blood like this and De Bruyne is pulling strings, it honestly feels unfair. Defensively they're still giving away chances, but in the Premier League that kind of attacking firepower usually decides titles.
For Spurs, it's a tough one. You can talk all you want about playing brave, expansive football – and there were moments where it looked fantastic – but if your high line gets torched by Haaland three times in one night, you have to adjust. In my opinion, the game management just wasn't there when the match flipped into chaos-mode.
The VAR call on Son? By the book, it's offside. But emotionally, you totally get why Spurs fans are furious. It's one of those decisions that is technically correct but feels brutally harsh, especially in a game this important.
Final whistle – and what's next
So here's where we are: Haaland just dropped a hat-trick in a statement win, Bellingham keeps writing his own Madrid fairytale, and Mbappé is doing Mbappé things in France. If you're tracking football results today, this was one of those nights that will absolutely shape the rest of the season.
Don't just stop at the scorelines, though. The table is shifting, nerves are jangling, and every point now feels like a final.
Check full stats & standings now
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