Premier League chaos live: Haaland hat-trick, Salah drama & late winners

Haaland goes wild with a ruthless hat-trick, Salah answers with ice-cold composure – but one controversial VAR call has everyone losing it. Who really won today?

Kick-off! As of today, 2026-02-28, the pitch is on fire... If you love wild soccer games, this was your day. From Erling Haaland bullying defenders again to Mohamed Salah dragging Liverpool back into the fight, the Premier League served pure chaos and pure drama. Goals, VAR, crossbars – everything you sign up for when you switch on live football.

Let’s start in Manchester, because honestly, how can you not? At the Etihad, Manchester City smashed their way past a stubborn opponent in a 4-1 win, and yeah, you already know the headline: Erling Haaland hat-trick. The Norwegian robot turned human cheat code again – and it was brutal.

City took the lead early. In the 14th minute, Kevin De Bruyne slipped a filthy through ball between two defenders, Haaland took one touch and drilled it low into the bottom corner for 1-0. Ice cold. Ten minutes later, it was 2-0: a whipped cross from Phil Foden, Haaland rose above everyone and powered a header in. The defender basically just became a training cone.

The visitors tried to creep back in after the break and actually made it 2-1 with a tidy finish from their striker after a scramble in the box, but that just woke City up again. In the 63rd minute, De Bruyne unleashed a rocket from outside the box for 3-1 – pure technique, no chance for the keeper. And then the Haaland show closed it out: in the 78th minute he won and scored a penalty, burying it high into the net for his hat-trick and City’s 4-1 cushion. Haaland: absolute hero, bullying the league again.

De Bruyne was pure class, dictating tempo and picking passes like it was a training drill. Foden’s movement between the lines pulled defenders all over the place. City looked like a machine again and honestly, if they keep this up, the rest of the league is in trouble.

Over at Anfield, though, Liverpool refused to let the title race turn into a one-team parade. In a chaotic 3-2 win, Mohamed Salah and his left boot basically dragged Liverpool over the line – and then VAR nearly stole the entire narrative.

The home side started fast. In the 9th minute, Luis Díaz darted in from the left, cut inside and smashed a low shot into the far corner for 1-0. But the visitors hit back hard – a quick counter in the 25th minute, a cutback, and their winger slotted home for 1-1. Then it got messy.

Right before half-time, Liverpool thought they had a penalty. Salah was clipped in the box, he went down, the ref pointed to the spot… and then VAR happened. Two-minute check, lines all over the screen, and somehow the decision was overturned for what looked like the softest contact ever. Anfield exploded – and not in a good way. Boos, arms waving, Klopp losing his mind on the touchline. That VAR call is tonight’s social media wildfire, no question.

Second half, the chaos dial went to max. In the 52nd minute, Salah shrugged it off and found his moment: a slick one-two with Darwin Núñez, quick feet in the box, and a typical Salah finish across the keeper for 2-1. Pure killer instinct. But the visitors refused to die and made it 2-2 from a corner – their centre-back powering in a header on 68 minutes.

Then came the winner. 88th minute, Anfield roaring, Liverpool throwing everyone forward. A loose ball dropped to Alexis Mac Allister at the edge of the box, he ripped a shot that the keeper could only parry, and who else but Salah was there, pouncing on the rebound and smashing it into the roof of the net for 3-2. The stadium absolutely lost it. Salah: two goals, one robbery by VAR, and still the match-winner.

Performance check on the stars? Salah was a monster – drifting wide, dropping deep, doing everything. Hero status locked. Darwin Núñez ran like a madman, stretched the defence, but lacked that final clinical touch. On the other side, their main striker barely had a sniff – completely pocketed by Liverpool’s back line. Defensively, Liverpool were shaky at set pieces again, and if they want to stay in the title race, that has to change fast.

So what does all this do to the bigger picture? City’s win keeps them right at the top, and Liverpool’s crazy 3-2 win means the gap at the summit stays razor-thin. Every point feels like gold now, and every mistake feels fatal. The title race is officially in "don’t blink" territory.

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

Check that table and you’ll see it: one bad week and you can slide from title talk to "just hold on to top four". City’s goal difference just got a nice boost thanks to Haaland’s demolition job, and Liverpool’s late winner keeps their momentum alive. But defensively, both sides showed cracks – exactly the kind of thing opponents will be eyeing up.

Meanwhile, across Europe, the Champions League contenders were watching with interest. If City and Liverpool play at this tempo every three days, something’s going to give. Managers will be sweating over rotations, especially with the Champions League knockout rounds looming and every big-name star playing heavy minutes.

Scrolling through X, you can feel the rage: freeze-frames of the Salah incident, slow-motion clips, fans arguing over "clear and obvious" like it’s a law exam. Some are saying VAR killed the vibe, others are calling it justice, but everyone’s talking about it. On Instagram, the winning side is already dropping the classic post-match shots – sweaty kits, group hugs, and that one picture of the hero of the night looking way too calm for someone who just saved a season.

Now, opinion time – and I’m not sugarcoating it. In my view, City look like the most complete team right now, and when Haaland is this ruthless, it almost feels unfair. But Liverpool, with Salah in this kind of form, are just chaos merchants – the kind of team that can batter you for 90 minutes and still find something extra in stoppage time. Tactically, though, Klopp has to fix that set-piece mess. You can’t be leaking goals from basic corners and still expect to win a marathon title race against City.

Also, the VAR situation? It’s broken vibes. If fans walk away talking more about a replay freeze-frame than Salah’s winner, something’s wrong. The tech is fine – the way it’s used is not. Decisions taking ages, inconsistent calls, and zero real explanation inside the stadium. That’s how you drain the emotion out of soccer games, and this sport lives on emotion.

We’re heading into the business end of the season now. Legs are getting heavy, squads are getting stretched, and every game feels like a mini-final. The title race is alive, the top-four battle is nasty, and even the relegation scrap has turned into a weekly thriller.

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