Haaland, Palmer & Bellingham go wild – Saturday soccer games drama LIVE
22.02.2026 - 18:21:54 | ad-hoc-news.de
Premier League chaos: Haaland vs Palmer light it up
All eyes were on the Etihad as Manchester City took on a fearless Chelsea side in a match that felt way bigger than just three points. City edged it in a 3-2 thriller, and yes, Erling Haaland was absolutely in destroyer mode again.
City went in front when Kevin De Bruyne slipped a filthy reverse pass into Haaland, who smashed home the opener with his left foot. 1-0, routine Haaland. But Chelsea punched back: a flowing move down the right saw Reece James fizz a low ball across the box, and Cole Palmer ghosted into space to slot into the bottom corner against his former club. The celebration? Arms out, no apology. Pure drama.
Second half, City came out like theyd been screamed at in the dressing room. De Bruyne whipped in a trademark corner, and R faben Dias rose highest to power in a header for 2-1. But Chelsea refused to fold. A slick counter ended with Raheem Sterling cutting inside and bending one into the far corner. 2-2 and suddenly the Etihad went nervous.
Then, late on, the moment that changed everything: a tug in the box on Haaland, VAR takes an age, the stadium is holding its breath. Penalty given. Up steps Haaland, eyes cold, and he rifles it into the top corner for his second of the night. Hat-trick denied by the post earlier, but a brace and another statement in the Golden Boot and top scorers today charts. Final score: Manchester City 3-2 Chelsea.
Haaland was a monster constantly bullying centre-backs, making run after run, and refusing to let the game drift. De Bruyne looked sharp, pulling strings and grabbing a vital assist. On the other side, Cole Palmer was ice-cold, buzzing between the lines and once again proving City maybe should have fought harder to keep him.
Title pressure cranks up: Liverpool and Arsenal answer back
Earlier in the afternoon, Liverpool kept the pressure on with a gritty 2-1 win at Anfield. Mohamed Salah was back to his ruthless best he opened the scoring with a tidy finish at the back post after Trent Alexander-Arnold flashed a low ball across the six-yard box.
The visitors equalised via a scrappy set piece, with their centre-back bundling home from close range after chaos in the area. But Liverpool dont do calm endings. Late on, substitute Darwin N faz attacked a whipped cross from Andy Robertson and powered home a header for the winner. Anfield exploded, Klopp went wild on the touchline, and the cameras locked onto Salah, grinning and punching the air.
Over in North London, Arsenal handled business with a confident 2-0 home win. Bukayo Saka cut inside onto his left (you knew it was coming, the defenders still couldnt stop it) and curled in a beauty for 1-0. In the second half, Martin d8degaard arrived on the edge of the box to place a low shot into the corner for 2-0 after slick link-up play with Gabriel Jesus. Mikel Artetas side looked calm, controlled, and very much still in this football league table fight.
La Liga spotlight: Bellingham saves Real Madrid again
In Spain, Real Madrid had one of those nights where everything felt off until Jude BellinghamThibaut Courtois.
Carlo Ancelotti threw on extra attackers, and suddenly the tempo flipped. First, Vin edcius J fanior danced his way into the box and squared for Rodrygo, who tapped in the equaliser. Then, deep into stoppage time, Bellingham arrived like a freight train. A looping cross from the right, a half-cleared header, and Bellingham met it on the volley from the edge of the area, smashing it into the bottom corner. 2-1 Madrid. Game flipped. Title dream still alive.
Bellinghams celebration was iconic again arms wide, soaking in the roar. On nights like this, he doesnt just play in La Liga; he owns it.
What does this do to the title race?
Citys win keeps them right in the Premier League live title picture, but with Liverpool and Arsenal both winning, this is turning into one of those rare seasons where three teams are seriously swinging for the crown. Every dropped point now feels massive, every late goal a potential turning point.
Down the table, Chelseas fight was brave but the loss keeps them stuck in that dangerous no-mans-land between the Champions League spots and mid-table. Those extra two points could be huge when we all look back in May.
What does this mean for the title race? Click here for the live standings
Social Media Spotlight: VAR rage and Haaland memes
Online, fans completely lost it over the late penalty on Haaland. Some say stonewall, others scream robbery. The replays are everywhere, the slow-mos are relentless, and the banter is brutal.
The Internet is Exploding: 3 Social Media Highlights
X Discussion: Fans split over late VAR penalty for Haaland robbery or clear foul?
The hashtag #MCICHE is flooded with freeze-frames of the shirt pull on Haaland, angle after angle of the contact, and fans arguing if the defender was unlucky or reckless. Meanwhile, Man Citys official Instagram is already dropping pics from the dressing room: Haaland grinning with the match ball at his feet, De Bruyne throwing a cheeky wink at the camera, and the caption screaming Massive win.
On YouTube, the highlight reels are climbing fast not just from the official broadcasters but fan channels breaking down every moment. If you missed any of the goals in todays soccer games, you can basically replay the whole drama from 50 different angles.
My take: Haaland unstoppable, Chelsea too soft, Bellingham inevitable
Lets be real: if you give Erling Haaland even half-decent service, youre asking for trouble. Chelsea defended bravely in spells, but they were too soft at the key moments. You cant wrestle with Haaland in the box and act surprised when VAR zooms in and gives it. In my opinion, the defender has to be smarter hands off, body in the way, and hope the cross isnt perfect.
For City, this felt like a statement: theyre not going away. De Bruyne looked like the old puppet master again, and when hes on that level, the whole team levels up. Liverpool and Arsenal will be watching those highlights tonight knowing they cannot blink.
Chelsea, though, can take something from this. Cole Palmer is the real deal fearless, technical, and with that ruthless edge you need at the top. But they need more control, more maturity in big moments. Right now, they look like a team that can hurt anyone, but also lose to anyone.
In Spain, Im running out of words for Jude Bellingham. He plays like hes been the main man at Madrid for a decade. When things get messy, he doesnt hide, he demands the ball and decides the game. Thats superstar behaviour. If were counting future Ballon dOr favourites off todays performances, hes absolutely in that conversation.
Closing whistle: this title race is pure chaos
So where does that leave us? City win, Liverpool win, Arsenal win, Madrid survive and across Europe, the football league table pictures are getting tighter and nastier by the week. Every matchday now feels like a mini final, every mistake magnified, every superstar performance turning into a social media storm.
If youre trying to track whos really on top after todays madness, you need the live numbers in front of you.
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.
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