Haaland, City

Haaland hat-trick chaos as Man City edge Spurs in 7-goal thriller – live drama

12.02.2026 - 09:08:56

Man City outgun Spurs 4-3 in a wild Premier League showdown as Erling Haaland hits a ruthless hat-trick. But one huge VAR call has everyone raging.

Kick-off! As of today, 2026-02-12, the pitch is on fire... You wanted football results today and you absolutely got chaos: Manchester City 4–3 Tottenham, a Champions League scrap dripping with Premier League live energy, a Haaland hat-trick, and one gigantic VAR flashpoint that the whole internet is tearing apart.

Man City 4–3 Tottenham: Haaland goes full monster mode
This one had everything you dream of when you check football results today. Goals, controversy, late tension, stars stepping up and some totally wild defending.

City exploded out of the blocks. On 9 minutes, Kevin De Bruyne slipped a filthy reverse pass through the lines, Erling Haaland bullied Cristian Romero off the ball and smashed a low left-footed drive into the far corner. Erling Haaland 1–0, and the Etihad was already bouncing.

Spurs answered, though. In the 21st minute, a quick transition caught City high. Son Heung-min fed Dejan Kulusevski on the right, he cut inside and curled one beyond Ederson for 1–1. Classic Spurs under pressure, but still lethal on the break.

City then turned the screw. On 33 minutes, Phil Foden found space between the lines and slipped in Haaland again. The Norwegian shrugged off Micky van de Ven and lifted a cheeky dink over Guglielmo Vicario. Erling Haaland again, 2–1 City, and you could feel a hat-trick coming from miles away.

Right before half-time, though, came controversy No. 1. Pedro Porro whipped in a cross, Son attacked the near post, and Ruben Dias seemed to nudge him in the back. Spurs screamed for a penalty. VAR checked
 nothing given. The home crowd roared; Spurs fans went nuclear on social media.

Second-half mayhem and the Haaland show
City came flying out again, and on 51 minutes they landed what looked like the killer blow. A short-corner routine found De Bruyne on the edge, his clipped cross picked out Haaland, who powered a towering header into the top corner. Erling Haaland hat-trick, 3–1, and you could practically see the Golden Boot graphic being prepared on every soccer news feed.

But this is Spurs. Drama follows them like a shadow. On 63 minutes, James Maddison danced in from the left, combined with Son, and unleashed a low strike that Ederson could only parry. Son Heung-min reacted first and stabbed home: 3–2, game back on.

City tried to slow it down, but on 74 minutes the entire stadium went into meltdown. Brennan Johnson darted into the box, clashed with Josko Gvardiol, and this time the referee pointed to the spot instantly. After a long VAR check, the on-field decision stood. Up stepped James Maddison, sending Ederson the wrong way to make it 3–3. Tottenham’s away end was going insane.

You thought it was done? Not with this City side. On 88 minutes, super-sub Julián Álvarez pressed high, nicked the ball off Pierre-Emile Hþjbjerg at the edge of the area and rolled it across for Phil Foden, who calmly slotted into the bottom corner for 4–3. The place exploded. Spurs tried one last heave in stoppage time, but City clung on for a massive win in a title race that feels tighter every single week.

Stars, heroes and flops: who owned the night?
Erling Haaland was pure chaos and clinical finishing: three goals, constant movement, and he bullied the Spurs backline all night. Golden Boot vibes all over again – this is exactly why defenders fear checking Premier League live updates when City are playing.

Kevin De Bruyne didn’t score, but his fingerprints were on everything. Two assists, several line-breaking passes, and he kept dragging Spurs around like chess pieces.

For Spurs, Son Heung-min and James Maddison were the bright sparks. Son grabbed a goal and an assist, constantly stretching City’s defence on the counter. Maddison scored the pressure penalty and orchestrated most of Spurs’ best moves. But at the back? Romero and van de Ven had a night to forget – losing duels, chasing shadows, and completely unable to handle Haaland’s physicality.

The biggest flop storyline, though, was the officiating. That first-half shove on Son? Spurs fans are adamant it was a stonewall penalty. VAR said no, and that non-call has turned into the main hot topic across X and beyond.

What this means for the title race
City’s win keeps them right in the mix. The three points close the gap at the top and crank the pressure on their rivals, with every single fixture now feeling like a mini-final. Spurs, meanwhile, stay tangled in that chaotic Champions League chase – one week world-class, the next week heartbroken.

In practical terms, this 4–3 epic nudges City up the football league table, tightening the title race and making every upcoming fixture feel like a cup final. Spurs drop crucial points in their bid for the top four, especially with rivals picking up wins elsewhere.

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

Champions League shocker: Barcelona stunned in late collapse
Over in Europe, the Champions League news is just as wild. Barcelona were cruising 2–0 at home before completely imploding and drawing 2–2 in stoppage time.

Robert Lewandowski opened the scoring with a classic striker’s finish, spinning off his marker and firing into the bottom corner. Then teenage star Lamine Yamal made it 2–0 with a gorgeous curler from the edge of the box – the kind of goal that instantly goes viral.

But the last 15 minutes were a horror show. A sloppy giveaway in midfield let the visitors in, and their No. 9 coolly slotted past the keeper for 2–1. Then, with 92 minutes on the clock, a corner wasn’t cleared and their centre-back poked home from close range. From total control to total collapse in the blink of an eye.

Lewandowski looked furious at full-time, and rightly so. The veteran delivered, but the defensive concentration just vanished. For a club chasing deep Champions League runs, that kind of late-game mentality is a major red flag.

The Internet is Exploding: Social Media Spotlight
The moment the final whistle blew in Manchester, the timelines went insane. One clip in particular is everywhere: the first-half Son penalty incident. Freeze-frames, replays, slow-mo breakdowns – everyone’s arguing if Ruben Dias got away with one.

My take: Haaland was unplayable, but City are living dangerously
From a reporter’s eye, Haaland was on a different planet tonight. That’s the kind of centre-forward performance that wins titles – brutal, relentless, absolutely no mercy. If you’re checking top scorers today, his name is planted at the very top for a reason.

But City still look way too open. Conceding three at home, nearly throwing away a two-goal lead, relying on late magic – that’s not sustainable over a full season. Pep will be buzzing about the result but fuming about the defending when he rewatches this.

Spurs, on the other hand, are the eternal rollercoaster. So much attacking talent, so much courage on the ball, but the same old story at the back. If they don’t tighten up, they’ll be watching the Champions League on TV instead of hearing that anthem next season.

As for Barcelona, blowing a 2–0 at home in Europe is just not good enough. The kids are electric, Lewandowski still delivers, but if they can’t manage game states better, they’re going out when the knockout rounds hit full throttle.

Final whistle: the title race just got spicier
So if you were hunting for football results today and trying to figure out who really wants this title, City just sent a loud message – but also left just enough vulnerability to keep every neutral hooked. The league is tight, the storylines are wild, and every goal feels like it’s rewriting the script.

Hooked? You should be. Between Haaland’s hat-trick, VAR meltdowns, late Champions League drama and shifting positions in the football league table, this season is turning into a classic.

Check full stats & standings now


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@ ad-hoc-news.de

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