Premier League Live: Haaland brace stuns Arsenal as title race explodes

Manchester City overpower Arsenal in a wild Premier League clash as Erling Haaland delivers again and the title race twists dramatically.

Kick-off! As of today, 2026-02-26, the pitch is on fire... If you love soccer games with chaos, crunching tackles and ice-cold finishers, tonight's Premier League showdown at the Etihad gave you everything. Manchester City 3–1 Arsenal, Erling Haaland ruthless, Kevin De Bruyne pulling strings, and Arsenal's title dream taking a massive hit under the floodlights.

Right from the first whistle, you could feel this wasn't just another regular-season clash. It was a statement night. City smelled blood, Arsenal wanted revenge, and the whole league watched every pass like it was a cup final.

Haaland the Hammer: Clinical, Cold, Untouchable

The opening goal set the tone. In the 18th minute, Phil Foden drifted inside, slid a perfectly weighted ball between Gabriel and Saliba, and Erling Haaland did what Erling Haaland always seems to do: one touch to set, one thunderbolt finish low past David Raya. 1–0 City, and the Etihad exploded.

Arsenal tried to respond through Bukayo Saka, who was easily their brightest spark in the first half. He beat Nathan Aké twice on the outside, whipped in a dangerous cross that forced Ederson into a sharp punch away, and then fired a curling effort that shaved the post. But whenever Arsenal pushed up, City hit harder on the break.

Right before halftime, the pressure told again. In the 43rd minute, Kevin De Bruyne picked up a loose ball 25 yards out. Nobody stepped out to him, big mistake. He opened his body and sent a gorgeous right-footed strike curling into the top corner. De Bruyne wheeled away to the corner flag, arms out, that familiar "told you so" celebration. 2–0, and Arsenal looked shell-shocked.

Arsenal Fight Back, But City Smell Blood

Mikel Arteta clearly went for broke after the break. He pushed Martin Ødegaard higher up the pitch and brought on Gabriel Jesus to add chaos. It paid off in the 57th minute: Ødegaard slipped Saka in down the right, Saka cut it back, and Leandro Trossard arrived late in the box to stab home. 2–1, game on, Arsenal fans roaring again in the away end.

For a solid 15 minutes, the momentum swung. Saka kept driving at Aké, Jesus was buzzing all over Dias and Akanji, and there was a huge shout for a penalty when Jesus went down under contact from Dias. VAR took a long look, slowed it down, zoomed in from every angle – eventually sticking with the on-field "no penalty" call. You could almost feel the anger flying through phones worldwide as fans hammered their keyboards.

And then, as they so often do, City punished the missed moment. In the 76th minute, Arsenal overcommitted on a corner, City cleared, and suddenly it was a three-on-two break. De Bruyne carried the ball from his own half, waited just long enough, then slid in Haaland on the left. One drop of the shoulder, one thunderous left-footed strike across Raya, and it was 3–1. Haaland's brace — game done, hearts broken.

Stars Under the Spotlight: Heroes & Flops

Erling Haaland was pure killer mode tonight: two goals, constant menace, and that brutal instinct in transition. He might not have touched the ball a ton, but when he did, Arsenal panicked. That's elite-level striking.

Kevin De Bruyne looked like he'd turned back time. One goal, one assist, plus three or four passes that sliced open Arsenal's press like it was pre-season. When he plays like this, City feel inevitable.

On the other side, Bukayo Saka tried to drag Arsenal back on his own at times. He created Trossard's goal, beat his man repeatedly, and never stopped running, but he didn't get the final reward in the form of a goal. Ødegaard had some nice touches but disappeared in key phases, while Declan Rice was swamped by City's rotations in midfield.

Defensively, Gabriel and Saliba have been rocks all season, but Haaland gave them a nightmare. One split-second of ball-watching for the opener, overcommitting in transition for the third – at this level, those little errors are fatal.

What This Does to the Premier League Table

This result isn't just about three points, it's about the whole title narrative. With City beating Arsenal, Pep's side jumps back into the driving seat, putting massive pressure on Liverpool and anyone else dreaming of sneaking into the race. Arsenal, meanwhile, suddenly feel a touch fragile again – especially away against the biggest sides.

City's win tightens the top of the football league table and could be the turning point we look back on in May. If Arsenal miss out on the title by a tiny margin, this will be the night everyone rewatches.

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

Social Media Spotlight: Fury, Memes & Haaland Hype

As soon as the final whistle went, social media went absolutely nuclear. The big talking point? That non-given penalty on Gabriel Jesus at 2–1. Arsenal fans are convinced it's a stonewall pen, City fans say Jesus went looking for it. Everyone else is just here for the memes and slow-motion replays.

My Take: City Look Ruthless, Arsenal Look Shaken

From a reporter's seat, this felt like one of those nights where a champion shows up and says, "We're still the boss here." City weren't perfect, but they were clinical. When it mattered most, their stars showed up. Haaland took his chances, De Bruyne owned midfield, and even when they were under pressure, there was this calm confidence about them.

Arsenal, meanwhile, looked brave but a bit naive. You can't leave that much space for City on the counter. You can't waste those half-chances around the box. And you definitely can't rely on VAR to bail you out in a title six-pointer. If they want to go from "contenders" to "champions," this is the level of composure they have to find, especially away from home.

In my opinion, this was an absolute world-class performance from City when it counted. Arsenal will feel robbed by the VAR call, but deep down they'll know: you don't win the league by blaming technology, you win it by killing off games. Tonight, City did that. Arsenal didn't.

Title Race Loading: Don't Blink

The beauty of Premier League live action right now? Nothing is settled. A couple more big results, a surprise draw, an injury, and this whole thing flips again. But after tonight, the momentum is undeniably sky blue.

If you're trying to follow every twist — from top scorers today to which giant is sliding down the table — you need those live numbers in front of you.

Check full stats & standings now

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