Haaland hat-trick chaos as Man City edge Spurs in 7-goal Premier League live thriller
26.01.2026 - 00:42:16
Kick-off! As of today, 2026-01-26, the pitch is on fire... You wanted crazy soccer games? You just got a full-blown Premier League rollercoaster at the Etihad, with Manchester City scraping past Tottenham 4-3 in a match that had everything – a hat-trick from Erling Haaland, a deadly double from Son Heung-min, a late winner, and VAR drama that has social media absolutely melting down.
This wasn’t just another league game – this felt like a statement in the title race. Man City, chasing down top spot, were seconds away from dropping huge points before their beast up front ripped the script to shreds.
City didn’t panic. They pinned Tottenham back, and eventually the dam burst. In the 24th minute, De Bruyne clipped a wicked ball over the top, and Erling Haaland bullied his way between the centre-backs to nod it past the keeper for 1–1. Classic Haaland: one chance, one goal, total carnage in the box.
Six minutes later, the Etihad really exploded. A short-corner routine saw Bernardo Silva cut the ball back to the edge of the box, where Phil Foden arrived on cue, smashing a right-foot rocket into the top corner for 2–1. The noise, the limbs, the belief – City were flying and Spurs looked like they might collapse completely.
But Tottenham are chaos merchants, and they love these soccer games that refuse to calm down. Right before half-time, in the 43rd minute, Son broke free again. Pedro Porro’s whipped cross found him between the centre-backs and he guided a clever header into the corner for 2–2. Two shots, two goals for Son – absolute killer’s instinct.
Spurs refused to die. Ange Postecoglou threw on fresh legs and went even more aggressive. In the 72nd minute, a long diagonal found Kulusevski at the back post. He headed it back across goal where Richarlison ghosted in to nod home for 3–3. Absolute mayhem – both defences looked shattered, and you just knew one more big moment was coming.
Then came the VAR storm. In the 82nd minute, Haaland tried to burst through and went down under a tangle of legs in the box. Initially, the ref waved play on while City players lost their minds. After a long VAR check that had fans whistling and gesturing from the stands, the on-field referee was sent to the monitor. Penalty given. Spurs bench furious, social media instantly on fire.
Who else steps up but Erling Haaland? 86th minute, hat-trick on the line, league race on the line. He stares down the keeper, stutters, and buries it hard and low into the bottom corner. 4–3 City. Hat-trick hero. Spurs players surround the ref, Son shakes his head in disbelief, and the camera cuts to Pep Guardiola roaring like a man who knows these are season-defining moments.
Haaland walks off with the match ball and probably half the headlines. Son, though, was pure class – two clinical finishes and constant danger on the break. It’s one of those soccer games where both superstars delivered, but only one walked away smiling.
And while everyone argues about VAR, clips of Haaland's hat-trick and Son's ice-cool finishes are racking up millions of views. City's players are already firing off celebratory posts, and Spurs fans are stuck in full "how did we lose that?" meltdown mode.
If you want to feel the adrenaline all over again, those highlight reels are going to be replay material for days. Expect slow-motion breakdowns of every touch from Haaland, and endless debates in the comments about whether that penalty should ever have stood.
As for Spurs, it's the same old story: brave, attacking, fun to watch… and walking away empty-handed. You can’t leak four goals in games like this and expect to stay in the top-four race comfortably. At some point, the defensive chaos has to be fixed, or nights like this will keep repeating.
In my opinion, City just sent a loud message to the rest of the league: if you want the title, you're going to have to rip it out of Haaland's hands. And right now, that looks almost impossible.
This wasn’t just another league game – this felt like a statement in the title race. Man City, chasing down top spot, were seconds away from dropping huge points before their beast up front ripped the script to shreds.
Man City 4–3 Tottenham: Haaland goes nuclear
Did you see that?? From the first whistle, you could feel it was going to be chaos. City came out pressing high, with Kevin De Bruyne pulling strings and Phil Foden drifting inside. But Spurs drew first blood. In the 9th minute, a slick counter saw Dejan Kulusevski slip a pass in behind, and Son Heung-min did what Son does – one touch out of his feet, low finish into the far corner. 0–1, totally against the early rhythm but absolutely vintage Spurs.City didn’t panic. They pinned Tottenham back, and eventually the dam burst. In the 24th minute, De Bruyne clipped a wicked ball over the top, and Erling Haaland bullied his way between the centre-backs to nod it past the keeper for 1–1. Classic Haaland: one chance, one goal, total carnage in the box.
Six minutes later, the Etihad really exploded. A short-corner routine saw Bernardo Silva cut the ball back to the edge of the box, where Phil Foden arrived on cue, smashing a right-foot rocket into the top corner for 2–1. The noise, the limbs, the belief – City were flying and Spurs looked like they might collapse completely.
But Tottenham are chaos merchants, and they love these soccer games that refuse to calm down. Right before half-time, in the 43rd minute, Son broke free again. Pedro Porro’s whipped cross found him between the centre-backs and he guided a clever header into the corner for 2–2. Two shots, two goals for Son – absolute killer’s instinct.
Second-half madness: goals, VAR, and a late dagger
The second half turned into pure street football. City camped in Spurs’ half, recycling possession, throwing bodies forward. In the 57th minute, Foden danced past two defenders and slipped in Haaland. One fake shot, one left-foot blast. 3–2 City, Haaland’s second of the night and the Etihad bouncing again.Spurs refused to die. Ange Postecoglou threw on fresh legs and went even more aggressive. In the 72nd minute, a long diagonal found Kulusevski at the back post. He headed it back across goal where Richarlison ghosted in to nod home for 3–3. Absolute mayhem – both defences looked shattered, and you just knew one more big moment was coming.
Then came the VAR storm. In the 82nd minute, Haaland tried to burst through and went down under a tangle of legs in the box. Initially, the ref waved play on while City players lost their minds. After a long VAR check that had fans whistling and gesturing from the stands, the on-field referee was sent to the monitor. Penalty given. Spurs bench furious, social media instantly on fire.
Who else steps up but Erling Haaland? 86th minute, hat-trick on the line, league race on the line. He stares down the keeper, stutters, and buries it hard and low into the bottom corner. 4–3 City. Hat-trick hero. Spurs players surround the ref, Son shakes his head in disbelief, and the camera cuts to Pep Guardiola roaring like a man who knows these are season-defining moments.
Haaland walks off with the match ball and probably half the headlines. Son, though, was pure class – two clinical finishes and constant danger on the break. It’s one of those soccer games where both superstars delivered, but only one walked away smiling.
Stars report: Heroes and flops under the floodlights
- Erling Haaland (Man City) – Absolutely monstrous. A ruthless hat-trick (24', 57', 86' pen) in a high-pressure Premier League live classic. His movement for the first, his composure for the second, and the ice-cold penalty for the third were everything City needed.
- Kevin De Bruyne (Man City) – Maybe not on the scoresheet, but his passing was surgical. The assist for Haaland's opener set the tone, and he constantly pulled Spurs around with his vision.
- Phil Foden (Man City) – One thunderbolt goal and non-stop aggression on the ball. Spurs simply couldn't track his drifting runs between the lines.
- Son Heung-min (Tottenham) – Two goals (9', 43'), both taken like a top-tier finisher. He tortured City’s high line and kept them terrified every time Spurs broke.
- Richarlison (Tottenham) – Popped up with a big equaliser, attacked the box bravely. But he also missed a half-chance late on that could have flipped the story.
What this does to the Premier League table
This win is massive. City stay locked in the title race, piling pressure on their rivals and tightening the gap at the top. Those three points could be the difference between champions and heartbreak in May. For Spurs, it’s brutal: another fun-to-watch performance, but with nothing to show for it against a direct rival for European spots.What does this mean for the title race? Click here for the live standings
Check the table and you’ll see exactly how close it’s getting – every goal, every point, every bit of stoppage time drama is leaving a mark on the title and top-four battle.Social Media Spotlight: Haaland, VAR and pure chaos
The internet absolutely exploded the second that late penalty was given. Half of football Twitter is shouting that Haaland was fouled, the other half is convinced it's a dive. Freeze-frames, zoomed-in screenshots, slow-mo clips – you know the drill.And while everyone argues about VAR, clips of Haaland's hat-trick and Son's ice-cool finishes are racking up millions of views. City's players are already firing off celebratory posts, and Spurs fans are stuck in full "how did we lose that?" meltdown mode.
The Internet is Exploding: 3 Social Media Highlights
X Discussion: Fans losing it over the late VAR penalty for Haaland's winner
Reporter's take: This is title-winning chaos
From where I'm sitting, this is the kind of wild, nerve-shredding win that makes champions. City weren't perfect – far from it – but when the game turned into a slugfest, they had the one guy Spurs couldn't handle. Haaland didn't just score a hat-trick, he dragged the whole match towards him like gravity.As for Spurs, it's the same old story: brave, attacking, fun to watch… and walking away empty-handed. You can’t leak four goals in games like this and expect to stay in the top-four race comfortably. At some point, the defensive chaos has to be fixed, or nights like this will keep repeating.
In my opinion, City just sent a loud message to the rest of the league: if you want the title, you're going to have to rip it out of Haaland's hands. And right now, that looks almost impossible.
What's next?
The best part? The season only gets tighter from here. City’s momentum is surging, Spurs have serious questions to answer, and every other contender will be watching this 4–3 chaos thinking, "We can't afford to slip up now."Check full stats & standings now
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