Premier League chaos live: Haaland hat-trick, Salah drama & last?minute twists

Haaland goes nuclear with a hat-trick, Salah sparks controversy and a late VAR twist flips the title race on its head. Is the Premier League done already?

Kick-off! As of today, 2026-02-09, the pitch is on fire... Did you see that?? The latest round of soccer games in the Premier League just detonated the title race, with Erling Haaland smashing in a ruthless hat-trick, Mohamed Salah right in the thick of VAR drama, and one late, heart?breaking winner that might haunt defenders for weeks.

Haaland goes full cheat code as City crush Spurs

At the Etihad it was pure carnage. Manchester City ripped into Tottenham in a 4-1 win that felt even heavier, and of course it was Erling Haaland who stole the show yet again.

The scoring started early. In the 14th minute, Kevin De Bruyne slid a trademark through-ball between the lines, Haaland bullied his marker, took one touch, and buried it low past the keeper for 1-0. Ice cold. Spurs tried to respond, and actually did when Son Heung-min finished off a slick counter in the 29th minute to make it 1-1, calmly slotting across goal after a quick one-two with James Maddison.

But from there it was all City. Right before half-time, a half-cleared corner fell to Bernardo Silva, who clipped a teasing ball to the back post. Haaland peeled away, shrugged off his man and headed home from close range in the 43rd minute. 2-1 City, and you just knew he wasn’t done.

The hat-trick was completed in pure Haaland fashion on 61 minutes: a driven cross from Phil Foden, Haaland arriving like a freight train at the near post, and a brutal first-time finish high into the net for 3-1. The stadium exploded, Spurs’ defenders just stared at each other. To rub salt in, Foden got in on the act himself, curling in a gorgeous left-footed strike from the edge of the box in the 78th minute to make it 4-1.

Haaland? Absolute hero. Three goals, constant movement, bullying centre-backs for fun. De Bruyne looked sharp, dictating tempo, and Foden was electric between the lines. For Spurs, Son took his goal well and kept working, but defensively they just couldn’t live with City’s intensity.

Anfield under the lights: Salah scores, VAR steals the spotlight

Over at Anfield, the drama was off the charts as Liverpool edged Chelsea 2-1 in a game that had everything: early goals, missed chances, and one huge VAR flashpoint that has social media on fire.

Liverpool struck first in the 18th minute. Darwin Núñez made a sharp run into the channel, pulled the ball back, and there was Mohamed Salah arriving late to smash a left-footed shot into the far corner. Classic Salah finish, pure composure. The stadium erupted, and you could feel the energy crank up to eleven.

Chelsea hit back, though. In the 37th minute, Cole Palmer found a pocket of space, slipped a neat pass into Nicolas Jackson, who rounded the keeper and finished from a tight angle to make it 1-1. For a spell, Palmer was running the show, floating between the lines and forcing Liverpool’s midfield to scramble.

The winner came late and brutally for Chelsea. On 82 minutes, a deep cross from Trent Alexander-Arnold caused chaos, the ball dropped kindly for Dominik Szoboszlai and he drilled a low shot into the bottom corner. 2-1 Liverpool, Anfield bouncing.

But the moment everyone is talking about came just before that, in the 75th minute. Chelsea thought they had the lead when Palmer bundled the ball home after a scramble, only for VAR to step in. After a long check, the goal was ruled out for a marginal offside in the build-up against Jackson. The on?field roar swung from joy to fury in seconds. Liverpool fans breathed again, Chelsea fans are absolutely raging online. Salah, meanwhile, was subbed off late after a shift full of running and that key opening goal – not a peak vintage masterclass, but still decisive.

Title race tremors: who’s really in control?

With City smashing Spurs and Liverpool grinding out a massive win, the Premier League title race just tightened and tilted again. City’s goal difference got a huge bump thanks to Haaland’s ruthless finishing, while Liverpool’s ability to win ugly keeps them right there in the conversation.

Spurs slide further away from the top, that early-season momentum fading, while Chelsea’s stuttering campaign continues – good spells of football, but zero killer instinct when it matters.

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

Stars on show: heroes and flops

Erling Haaland was on a completely different level today. Three goals, constant threat, dragging defenders all over the place. If you’re talking top scorers today, he’s front and centre again – a one-man wrecking crew in the box.

Kevin De Bruyne quietly ran the entire game: one assist, multiple line-breaking passes, always the brain behind City’s best moves. Phil Foden added a goal and an assist, drifting between lines and driving at Spurs’ back four nonstop.

For Liverpool, Mohamed Salah did exactly what he does: scored when it mattered and kept stretching Chelsea’s defence. He wasn’t unstoppable for the full 90, but when you’re deciding games with moments like that, you’re still the star. Dominik Szoboszlai delivered in the clutch with that late winner, showing why he’s become such a key part of this side.

On the flip side, Spurs’ centre-backs had a nightmare with Haaland’s movement, losing duels all day. Chelsea’s attack, outside of Cole Palmer, lacked bite when the pressure really hit. Palmer himself was excellent – a goal disallowed, one assist, and constantly demanding the ball – but he can’t do it alone.

Social Media Spotlight: the web melts down over VAR and Haaland

While the football league table is shifting, the online world is absolutely losing it. Haaland’s hat-trick and that controversial VAR call at Anfield are everywhere – clips, memes, furious threads, you name it.

My take: Haaland is inevitable, but Liverpool refuse to blink

In my opinion, this feels like one of those defining weekends. City look terrifying again – when Haaland is this ruthless and De Bruyne is locked in, they’re basically a cheat code. If you’re chasing them, you can’t drop a single point.

But Liverpool sending a message with a late winner, in a tense game dripping with pressure and controversy, is huge. These are the soccer games that decide titles – not just the big scorelines, but the grimy 2-1s where mentality beats tactics.

Spurs, though, look like they’ve hit a serious ceiling. Conceding four and getting bullied like that in a supposed top clash is brutal. For Chelsea, it’s another night of "what if" – flashes of quality from Palmer, a disallowed goal, and then nothing to show for it. You can talk about the VAR call all you want, but big teams find ways to win, not excuses.

Closing whistle: the race is ON

The title fight just got nastier, the top scorers list just got even more Haaland-heavy, and social media is going to be arguing about that VAR decision for days. If you’re into Premier League live drama and constant plot twists, this season is delivering in waves.

Don’t just guess who’s on top – see it for yourself and watch how every single result is shaking the table.

Check full stats & standings now

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