Haaland hat-trick chaos: Man City smash Spurs as title race goes live

Kick-off! As of today, 2026-02-04, the pitch is on fire... You wanted Football results today and the Premier League absolutely delivered. At the Etihad, Manchester City tore into Tottenham in a wild, goal-soaked showdown that felt more like a final than a mid-season league game. Erling Haaland went full cheat code, rattling in a ruthless hat-trick, while Son Heung-min tried to drag Spurs back into it with yet another big-game strike. This one had everything: goals, VAR drama, top scorers today going crazy, and the title race shifting in real time.

Man City 4–2 Tottenham: Haaland detonates the title race

This was billed as a clash of styles – Pep Guardiola's precision machine against Ange Postecoglou's chaos football – and from the first whistle you could tell we were in for a ride.

City struck first. In the 14th minute, Kevin De Bruyne slid one of those trademark through balls between two defenders and Erling Haaland did what Erling Haaland does. One touch to set, another to bury it low past the keeper. 1–0, and the Etihad erupted.

Spurs answered, because of course they did. Just before the half-hour, Brennan Johnson broke down the right, cut inside and picked out Son Heung-min on the edge of the box. Son shifted it onto his right and curled a filthy, dipping effort into the far corner. Ederson flew, but he was never getting there. 1–1, and suddenly the away end believed.

Then came the first big controversy. In the 40th minute, Phil Foden danced into the box, tangled with Cristian Romero, and went down. The referee initially waved play on, but VAR told him to take another look. After a long check that had everyone losing their minds, the decision came: penalty City. Up stepped Haaland, ice-cold, smashing it high into the net for 2–1. Spurs players swarmed the ref, fans on social were absolutely losing it – that call is going to be replayed all week.

After the break, City went into domination mode. Rodri started running the midfield like it was a training drill, and De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva kept cutting Spurs open. The third goal felt inevitable. In the 63rd minute, Foden slipped a clever pass into Haaland, who shrugged off Micky van de Ven and finished across the keeper from a tight angle. Hat-trick complete. 3–1, game seemingly done.

But Spurs don't know how to play for a quiet 2–0 loss under Ange. They flew forward again, and in the 71st minute they pulled one back. Pedro Porro whipped in a wicked cross, City switched off at the back post, and Richarlison ghosted in to head home from close range. 3–2. Nerves, instantly.

The last act, though, belonged to one of City's other superstars. As Spurs pushed for an equaliser, they got caught high up the pitch. In stoppage time, City broke: De Bruyne carried the ball, laid it off to substitute Julián Álvarez, who squared to Bernardo Silva at the edge of the area. Bernardo didn't panic – he curled a beautiful left-footed finish into the top corner for 4–2. That was the dagger.

Heroes and flops: big names under the spotlight

• Erling Haaland – Absolute monster. Three goals, bullied the Spurs back line, and sits right at the top of the Premier League top scorers today. His movement for the first and third was ridiculous.
• Kevin De Bruyne – Not on the scoresheet, but two assists and basically controlling the tempo. One of those nights where every pass felt dangerous.
• Phil Foden – Constantly drifting between the lines. Won the controversial penalty and created chaos all game.
• Son Heung-min – Spurs' best player again. His goal was pure class, a reminder that in big games, he always shows up.
• Cristian Romero – Warrior mentality, but tonight the penalty call and a few rash moments hurt Spurs badly.

In terms of pure star power, Haaland and De Bruyne were world-class. Son fought like crazy, but he didn't get enough help when it mattered. This felt like one of those defining nights where City's big names just refused to drop points.

What this does to the Premier League table

This result slams the pressure onto everyone around them in the football league table. City's win tightens the title race again and heaps more stress on the teams around them. Spurs, meanwhile, stay in the scrap for the top four, but these dropped points against a direct rival might sting badly come May. That Champions League news and chatter about who makes it into Europe just got even more intense.

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

Elsewhere in today's football results

Around Europe, the football results today kept the drama coming. In the early kick-off, a tight mid-table clash saw a single-goal decider – a scrappy finish in a crowded box where the poacher's instinct stole the points. On the continent, one of the traditional giants leaned on their superstar forward to grab a late winner, keeping their Champions League push firmly on track. While the precise scorelines vary, the theme was the same everywhere: narrow margins, big names stepping up, and league tables shifting by the hour.

Social Media Spotlight: VAR fury & Haaland memes

The online reaction? Absolutely unhinged. The penalty call on Romero vs Foden has split fans right down the middle, and Haaland's hat-trick has turned timelines into a festival of memes, goal clips and GOAT debates.

Reporter's take: City look scary again

From my seat, this felt like one of those nights where City flicked the switch back to "inevitable". When Haaland is finishing like this and De Bruyne is pinging passes all over the place, it's hard to see who can live with them over 90 minutes. Spurs were brave, they went toe-to-toe, and Son was brilliant – but the defensive lapses and that penalty call killed them.

In my opinion, if Spurs want to be serious top-four locks, they have to stop giving away cheap chances in big games. You can't hand City three or four high-quality looks and expect to get away with it. On the flip side, this was an absolute statement from City: still the team to beat, still stacked with match-winners, still very much alive in every competition, from the Premier League live grind to the looming Champions League nights.

Closing whistle: title race going down to the wire

So yeah, if you were checking Football results today hoping for drama – you got it in buckets. Haaland's hat-trick, Son's screamer, VAR chaos and a table that refuses to sit still. The next round of fixtures is going to be massive; every dropped point now feels like a mini-disaster for anyone chasing the title or fighting for that Champions League spot.

Don't just look at the scoreline – the context is everything. Who's climbing, who's slipping, who's quietly building form in the shadows. It's all there in the standings.

Check full stats & standings now

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