Haaland, City

Haaland hat-trick, City go top: Premier League chaos live in London rain

25.01.2026 - 05:47:30

Erling Haaland’s ruthless hat-trick flips the title race on its head – but did a late VAR twist save Arsenal’s season? Full Premier League drama inside.

Kick-off! As of today, 2026-01-25, the pitch is on fire... You wanted football results today? You got absolute chaos. The Premier League served up a title-shaking afternoon, Erling Haaland went full machine mode with a hat-trick, Bukayo Saka dragged Arsenal through pure panic, and VAR somehow managed to steal the spotlight again.

This isn’t just another round of fixtures – this is the kind of day you remember when trophies are lifted in May. Let’s rip straight into the biggest storylines from the top leagues and the wildest football results today.

Haaland Hattrick Show: Man City 4–1 Chelsea

At the Etihad, Manchester City absolutely tore into Chelsea in a 4–1 statement win that screamed: "We’re still the bosses here." Erling Haaland was unplayable, bagging a brutal hat-trick and reminding everybody why every defender in the league has nightmares about him.

City opened the scoring when Kevin De Bruyne slipped a filthy through ball into Haaland, who shrugged off his marker and slammed it low past the keeper for 1–0. Goal number one: Erling Haaland, assist Kevin De Bruyne. Simple, ruthless.

Chelsea actually hit back. Cole Palmer did what Cole Palmer does – drifted inside from the right, played a quick one-two, and buried a left-foot strike into the bottom corner. Goal: Cole Palmer. Suddenly it was 1–1 and you thought, "Okay, we’ve got a contest."

But Haaland wasn’t done. Just before halftime, Bernardo Silva clipped a cross to the back post, and Haaland rose higher than everyone, smashing in a towering header. Goal: Erling Haaland, assist Bernardo Silva. 2–1 City and the momentum had fully flipped blue again (the Manchester kind).

In the second half, City killed it off. A slick move down the left ended with Phil Foden cutting it back and Haaland, of course, waiting to tap in from close range. Goal: Erling Haaland (hat-trick!), assist Phil Foden. 3–1 and the golden boot race just tilted heavily in his favour again.

To cap it all off, De Bruyne curled in a trademark strike from distance after a loose ball rolled his way. Goal: Kevin De Bruyne. Chelsea’s back line looked shattered, and City looked like title winners in waiting.

Heroes & flops

Haaland? Pure chaos. Three goals, nonstop movement, bullying defenders, tracking back when needed – absolute monster performance. Kevin De Bruyne was the conductor, pulling strings everywhere with an assist and a goal, while Phil Foden floated between the lines and made Chelsea dizzy.

On the flip side, Chelsea’s big names went quiet. Raheem Sterling barely influenced the game, Nicolas Jackson struggled to hold the ball up, and defensively they were miles off it. It felt less like a tactical battle and more like City turning on a switch and deciding, "We’re not dropping points today."

Arsenal 2–2 Liverpool: VAR, late drama & Saka rescue job

Over at the Emirates, Arsenal and Liverpool produced a wild 2–2 draw that felt like three different matches in one. From electric attacking to full-on VAR fury – this had it all.

Arsenal exploded out of the blocks. Gabriel Martinelli skinned his fullback down the left and squared across goal for Bukayo Saka to tap in at the far post. Goal: Bukayo Saka, assist Gabriel Martinelli. The Emirates rocked, and Liverpool looked stunned.

But you don’t switch off against Mohamed Salah and get away with it. Trent Alexander-Arnold pinged a trademark diagonal to Salah, who cut inside onto that left foot and belted a rocket into the top corner. Goal: Mohamed Salah, assist Trent Alexander-Arnold. 1–1 and suddenly it was Liverpool’s turn to roar.

Then came the hot topic moment everyone online is losing their minds over. Early in the second half, Darwin NĂșñez bombed into the box, went shoulder-to-shoulder with William Saliba and hit the deck. The ref pointed straight to the spot. Penalty Liverpool. After a long VAR check – angles, slow-mos, lines everywhere – the decision stood. Salah stepped up and tucked it away for his second. Goal: Mohamed Salah (penalty). 2–1 Liverpool and Arsenal fans were melting down.

But this Arsenal side doesn’t fold like the old days. With time slipping away, Martin Ødegaard clipped a gorgeous ball into the box and Saka ghosted in between defenders to nod it home. Goal: Bukayo Saka (brace), assist Martin Ødegaard. 2–2, late drama, and the stadium erupted like a cup final.

Stars under the spotlight

Bukayo Saka was all heart and quality. Two goals, constant threat, and he basically refused to let Arsenal die. On the other side, Mohamed Salah matched him with two brilliant finishes – one worldie, one ice-cold penalty under huge pressure. Both superstars showed exactly why they’re the faces of the league.

Darwin NĂșñez did the hard running, dragged defenders everywhere, but couldn’t find the net. Martin Ødegaard had a quieter first half but absolutely took control late on, especially for that equaliser. Defensively, both sides will be fuming: space everywhere, gaps in transition, and way too many chances conceded for title contenders.

What it means for the title race

City’s win and the draw at the Emirates are massive. With those football results today, the pressure has swung right back onto Arsenal and Liverpool. City grab the momentum, cut the gap, and psychologically this is the kind of weekend that can tilt everything.

Arsenal dropping points at home while Haaland goes nuclear is a nasty combo for Mikel Arteta. Liverpool, too, will feel weird – they fought back, then led, then couldn’t close it out. In a race this tight, those two dropped points might hurt later.

What does this mean for the title race? City tighten their grip and everyone else is now chasing shadows. Click here for the live standings

Social Media Spotlight: VAR rage, memes & Haaland terror

Right now, the internet is going absolutely wild. The biggest flashpoint? That Darwin NĂșñez penalty for Liverpool. Was it soft? Was there enough contact? Arsenal fans are convinced it’s robbery, neutral fans are split, and the clip is already being replayed a million times from every angle.

At the same time, Haaland memes are everywhere – people calling him a "cheat code", defenders looking like training cones, and someone’s already edited his hat-trick into a video game goal montage.

If you’re not doom-scrolling those tweets or checking the Instagram stories from the City dressing room, you’re missing half the fun. This is modern football: 90 minutes on the pitch, then hours of chaos online.

My take: Title race just shifted – and managers are on the clock

From where I’m sitting, today felt like a turning point. City looked like a fully formed monster again – Haaland locked in, De Bruyne healthy, Foden buzzing. When they click like this, it’s terrifying for everyone else. In my opinion, if they keep this level for the next month, they go top and don’t look back.

Arsenal showed heart, but heart alone doesn’t win titles. You can’t keep conceding soft goals and expecting Saka to drag you out of it every week. Arteta has to sort that defensive structure fast or it’s going to be another "what if" season.

Liverpool? They’re living on a knife-edge. Incredible going forward, but still way too open at the back. JĂŒrgen Klopp will love the fight but hate how vulnerable they look whenever they stretch the game. Against City in a few weeks, that could be deadly.

Across Europe, other big names did their thing – from Kylian MbappĂ© firing again in Ligue 1 to Jude Bellingham bossing midfield in La Liga – but today belonged to the Premier League. Haaland took the spotlight, Saka and Salah refused to step aside, and the whole title race just went up a gear.

Final whistle: Don’t blink now

If this is what late January looks like, imagine what April is going to be like with everything on the line. Between hat-tricks, VAR meltdowns, and last-minute equalisers, today felt like a sneak preview of the madness to come.

Want the full picture of how all these football results today reshaped the title fight, top-four chase and relegation scrap? The numbers don’t lie – the table is brutal.

Check full stats & standings now


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