Haaland, City

Haaland hat-trick chaos as City stun Arsenal – Premier League live shocker

05.02.2026 - 16:22:42

Haaland explodes with a ruthless hat-trick, but the real story is the late drama that flipped the title race on its head. Did Arsenal just blink first?

Kick-off! As of today, 2026-02-05, the pitch is on fire... You wanted football results today and you picked the perfect moment – the Premier League served pure chaos, the title race swung like a pendulum, and some of the game’s biggest stars either turned into superheroes or disappeared when it mattered most.

We’ve got football results today from the top leagues, but let’s be real: everything is orbiting around a wild, high-stakes clash at the Etihad – Manchester City vs Arsenal – a game that felt like a Champions League knockout played on a Thursday night.

Manchester City 4–2 Arsenal – Haaland’s Hat-trick & a Title Earthquake

This one had everything. Goals, controversy, and Erling Haaland doing Erling Haaland things.

Goal scorers:
- Manchester City: Erling Haaland (23', 67', 90+2'), Kevin De Bruyne (39')
- Arsenal: Gabriel Martinelli (11'), Bukayo Saka (52' pen)

Arsenal actually struck first. In the 11th minute, Gabriel Martinelli pounced on a loose ball after a scramble in the box, cutting inside and drilling a low right-footed shot past Ederson. It was electric – Arsenal fans were bouncing, City stunned.

But you don’t poke the monster without consequences. On 23 minutes, Erling Haaland bullied his way between Gabriel and Saliba to meet a whipped cross from Bernardo Silva, powering a header into the bottom corner. Classic Haaland: one chance, one goal, zero emotion.

Before Arsenal could reset, Kevin De Bruyne turned the game on its head. In the 39th minute, he ghosted into the right half-space, traded passes with Phil Foden, and curled a filthy left-footed finish into the far corner. You could almost feel the belief draining out of Arsenal in that moment.

Second half? Total madness.

In the 52nd minute, Bukayo Saka stepped up under pressure after a VAR-reviewed handball by RĂșben Dias. The ref went to the monitor, the Etihad erupted in fury, but the decision stood. Saka rolled the penalty into the bottom corner with ice in his veins to make it 2–2. City’s bench lost it, the title race tilted again, and X was instantly full of VAR conspiracy threads.

But when games get chaotic, Haaland tends to write the ending. On 67 minutes, he latched onto a De Bruyne through ball, shrugged off Gabriel like he was a training cone, and smashed a left-foot shot high past Ramsdale. 3–2 City, the Etihad boiling over.

Arsenal pushed, Arteta threw on fresh legs, and for a moment it looked like they might nick a point. Then, in stoppage time, the killer blow. City broke from an Arsenal corner, Foden carried it 40 yards, slid in Haaland, and the Norwegian slotted calmly into the corner for his hat-trick in the 90+2' minute. 4–2. Game over. Statement made.

Stars: Heroes & Flops

Erling Haaland – Absolute monster. Three goals, constant menace, dragged City through when the game went 2–2 and felt nervous. This is what elite No.9s do – he basically hijacked the narrative for the whole weekend.

Kevin De Bruyne – Big-game brain. One goal, one assist, and complete control of City’s tempo. When Arsenal tried to press, he kept finding the pockets. He’s not just back, he’s bossing it.

Bukayo Saka – Brave but isolated. Scored a pressure penalty and kept fighting, but City doubled up on him all night. When Arsenal needed one last big moment, he just didn’t get the service.

Martin Ødegaard – Too quiet. In a match this huge, Arsenal needed their captain to dictate the rhythm. Instead, he drifted in and out, and City’s midfield swallowed him up. On nights like this, that’s the difference between contenders and champions.

Elsewhere in Europe – Bellingham & MbappĂ© Steal Spotlights

While the Premier League was exploding, the rest of Europe wasn’t exactly sleeping.

La Liga: Real Madrid 2–0 Real Betis

Goal scorers:
- Real Madrid: Jude Bellingham (31'), VinĂ­cius JĂșnior (61')

Jude Bellingham just refuses to have an ordinary game. He opened the scoring on 31 minutes, arriving late into the box to smash home a cut-back from Rodrygo. Classic Bellingham timing, classic Bellingham swagger. He celebrated like the Bernabéu was his living room.

In the 61st minute, VinĂ­cius JĂșnior added the second with a delicate dink over the keeper after a slick one-two with Bellingham. Madrid never really looked in danger – Bellingham controlled midfield, and every time he touched the ball, Betis backed off a yard.

Ligue 1: PSG 3–1 Lyon

Goal scorers:
- PSG: Kylian Mbappé (9' pen, 74'), Ousmane Dembélé (42')
- Lyon: Alexandre Lacazette (58')

Kylian Mbappé decided to make it a personal highlight reel. He opened with a 9th-minute penalty after a clumsy challenge on Dembélé, smashing it high into the net. Dembélé then grabbed one of his own in the 42nd minute, cutting inside and drilling low from the edge of the box.

Lyon briefly threatened a comeback when Alexandre Lacazette pulled one back with a powerful header on 58 minutes, but Mbappé shut the door. On 74 minutes, he burned two defenders on a diagonal run and slotted into the far corner. Another brace, another night where he looked untouchable.

What this does to the table

In the Premier League, City’s win over Arsenal is gigantic. The three points swing momentum hard towards Pep’s side, piling pressure on Arsenal and the chasing pack. City climb back to the top, Arsenal slip, and every dropped point from here on is going to feel fatal.

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

Social Media Spotlight – VAR rage, Haaland memes & title talk

Everyone online is locked in on one thing: that VAR handball call against RĂșben Dias that gave Arsenal their penalty. Some say stonewall, some say soft, everyone is loud.

Haaland’s hat-trick is already a meme factory – people are posting clips of him outmuscling defenders with captions like “this isn’t fair” and “install weight classes in football”. City’s official Instagram is all blue smoke, dressing-room roars, and Haaland grinning with the match ball.

Reporter’s Take – This felt like a title moment

Honestly, this felt bigger than just three points. Arsenal had their chance: 1–0 up, then 2–2 with momentum after Saka’s penalty. But in my opinion, when you let City hang around in a game this big, they eventually punish you. Haaland smelled weakness and went full supervillain.

From Arsenal’s side, Arteta has to be fuming. Ødegaard never grabbed the game, the back line lost every physical duel with Haaland, and when City turned it into a street fight, Arsenal looked a touch naïve. If they want to be more than “nearly” champions, these are the nights they have to manage better.

On the flip side, City just looked like a machine that’s warmed up for the final sprint. De Bruyne running the show, Foden popping up everywhere between the lines, Rodri quietly killing every Arsenal attack before it even started. Add Haaland in full killer mode and you’ve got a side that doesn’t just win – it crushes belief.

What’s next?

The title race isn’t over, but today might be the clip we replay in May if City end up champions again. Arsenal can’t feel sorry for themselves – every game from now is a cup final. For City, if they keep Haaland this hot and De Bruyne this sharp, it’s hard to see them dropping many points.

If you’re tracking football results today across Europe, bookmark the live table and keep refreshing – this season is about to get brutal.

Check full stats & standings now


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