Haaland hat-trick chaos as Man City edge Spurs in 7-goal Premier League live thriller
11.02.2026 - 04:00:03
This one had everything: thunderbolts, defensive chaos, superstar meltdowns, and a title race twist that's going to be talked about for weeks. If you blinked, you probably missed a goal.
Seven-goal chaos: Spurs 3-4 Man City – Haaland goes berserk
The top headline from today's soccer games is simple: Tottenham 3-4 Manchester City. But the story is anything but simple.
Tottenham actually struck first. In the ninth minute, Son Heung-min broke the deadlock after a slick one-two with James Maddison, drilling a low right-footed shot past Ederson into the far corner. 1-0, Spurs fans bouncing, City stunned.
The response? Pure Haaland.
On 17 minutes, Kevin De Bruyne slipped a trademark through ball behind the Spurs back line. Haaland bullied his way between the centre-backs and poked home with his left foot for 1-1. Cold. Clinical. Standard Haaland stuff.
City flipped the script completely in a brutal five-minute spell. In the 24th minute, a De Bruyne corner found Rúben Dias, whose header crashed off the bar and fell to Phil Foden. The England star smashed the rebound in from close range to make it 2-1. Foden was on it tonight – drifting between the lines, spinning markers, and constantly demanding the ball.
Then came Haaland, Part II. In the 29th minute, City countered from a Spurs corner. Foden carried the ball 40 yards and slid it wide to Bernardo Silva, who whipped in a vicious low cross. Haaland steamed across the front post and slammed it first time into the roof of the net. 3-1. Two shots, two goals. Barely half an hour gone.
Spurs fight back – and VAR steals the spotlight
To their credit, Spurs didn't fold. In the second half, Ange Postecoglou threw on more attacking firepower and it paid off. In the 58th minute, Maddison delivered a teasing free-kick that City failed to clear. The ball dropped to Cristian Romero, who spun and smashed a half-volley through a forest of legs. 3-2. Game on.
City wobbled, and Spurs sensed it. The crowd roared every tackle, every press. Then, on 71 minutes, pure chaos: Son darted into the box, danced inside Nathan Aké, and went down under contact. The referee pointed to the spot. Penalty Spurs. The stadium exploded.
VAR check. Two minutes. Three minutes. Replays showed very slight contact, Son maybe already on the way down. After an agonising wait, the decision stood. Up stepped Son, sent Ederson the wrong way and buried it into the corner. 3-3. Hat-trick denied for Haaland, comeback complete for Spurs. And the noise in the ground? Unreal.
Haaland completes the hat-trick – but was he offside?
But champions respond. And tonight, Haaland absolutely refused to walk off that pitch without the match ball.
In the 86th minute, De Bruyne found a pocket of space between the lines and clipped an outrageous lofted pass over the Spurs defence. Haaland ghosted in behind, took one cushioned touch with his chest, and side-footed a cool finish past Vicario. 4-3 City. Hat-trick complete. Limbs in the away end.
Then came the moment the internet is losing its mind over. As Haaland peeled away in celebration, the offside flag went up late. VAR time again. Multiple angles, freeze-frames, those dreaded lines. It looked millimetres. After another long delay, the goal was given. Offside line showed Haaland just – and we mean just – being kept on by Romero's trailing foot. The home crowd went from thunder to silence in a heartbeat.
Spurs pushed for another miracle, with late efforts by Son and substitute Richarlison blocked, but City clung on. Final whistle: 3-4. Title race statement from Pep's side, heartbreak for Spurs, and VAR trending worldwide.
Stars under the spotlight: heroes and flops
Erling Haaland: Absolute monster performance. Three goals, ruthless movement, and every time City needed a moment, he delivered. His link-up with De Bruyne looked like peak partnership mode again. This is the Haaland that terrifies every defence in Europe.
Kevin De Bruyne: Not on the scoresheet, but two assists and at the centre of almost every dangerous move. His vision for the hat-trick ball was ridiculous – that's what separates him from everyone else. If you're talking top scorers today, Haaland gets the headlines, but KDB was the brain behind the chaos.
Phil Foden: One goal, huge energy, and constant pressing. He drifted inside to overload the midfield and gave Spurs nightmares in the half-spaces. You can feel he's becoming one of the true leaders in this City side.
Son Heung-min: Spurs' talisman did everything he could – one goal from open play, a nerveless penalty, and non-stop movement. Every time Spurs broke, Son was the outlet. He took his chances and dragged his team back into the game.
James Maddison: Classy on the ball, key pass for the opener, dangerous from set-pieces. But he faded slightly once City tightened up and started to control possession again.
Defensive flops: Let's be honest – both back lines had a nightmare. Spurs' high defensive line against Haaland felt borderline reckless, and Romero's positioning for the winner will be replayed over and over. On City's side, cheap fouls around the box and poor second-ball reactions kept letting Spurs back in. For two teams with title and Champions League news ambitions, that defending isn't sustainable.
What this does to the league table
This win is huge. City stay right in the heart of the title race, piling pressure on their rivals and keeping their points tally ticking upward. Spurs, meanwhile, miss a massive chance to tighten their grip on the top four. That single VAR-backed Haaland goal could be the moment we look back on in May and say: that's where the race flipped.
What does this mean for the title race? Click here for the live standings
Social Media Spotlight: VAR fury and Haaland mania
While the players catch their breath, the internet is going absolutely nuclear. The official match hashtag #TOTMCI is flooded with freeze-frames of Haaland's winner, angle debates, and fans from both sides arguing about whether the offside lines were "drawn correctly".
The Internet is Exploding: 3 Social Media Highlights
X Discussion: Fans losing it over the VAR offside call on Haaland's late winner
My take: you can't win a title defending like that
From a young reporter's eye test, this felt like a Champions League knockout tie, not a February league match. Electrifying to watch, but both coaches will be ripping into their defences in the video room tomorrow.
For City, the attacking chemistry between Haaland, De Bruyne, and Foden is back to frightening levels. If they keep those three fit, they're favourites for pretty much every competition they're in. But the way they conceded cheap set-piece chances and panicked under Spurs' press? That's a warning sign, especially when the calendar gets brutal with Champions League nights.
For Spurs, the courage and aggression are genuinely fun to watch, but there has to be a balance. Playing that high and giving Haaland acres of space is asking for trouble. In my opinion, if they want to make sure this season ends with top-four and big European nights, they have to tighten up defensively. You can't keep conceding four at home and expect to stay in control of your season.
As for VAR – like it or not, it's now part of the show. Tonight's offside decision for Haaland's winner will live on every highlight reel and debate show. Technically correct? The lines say yes. Emotionally brutal for Spurs? Absolutely.
Closing whistle: this title race is officially unhinged
If today is a preview of the run-in, we are in for a ridiculous finish to this football league table story. City send a message, Haaland reclaims the "top scorer" spotlight, and Spurs are left staring at what might have been.
Don't just go off vibes and hot takes – check what this 4-3 epic actually does to the standings and who's really in control of the Premier League live title chase.
Check full stats & standings now
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