Haaland hat-trick chaos as Man City edge Spurs in 4-3 Premier League live thriller

Kick-off! As of today, 8 February 2026, the pitch is on fire... You wanted football results today? Buckle up. The Premier League served up a blockbuster as Manchester City squeezed past Tottenham 4-3 in a wild, breathless classic that flipped the title race narrative yet again. Goals everywhere, VAR drama, superstars delivering – this is why you don’t switch the channel when City and Spurs go head-to-head.

Premier League live chaos: Man City 4-3 Tottenham

This one had everything. Erling Haaland ripped it up with a hat-trick, scoring in the 18th, 39th and 71st minutes, while Phil Foden added another for City with a cool finish on 52 minutes. For Spurs, Son Heung-min was ice-cold in front of goal with a brace (27', 64'), and Dejan Kulusevski smashed in a huge equaliser on 58 minutes that had the away end bouncing.

The tone was set early. City came flying out of the blocks, and it was that man again – Erling Haaland – bullying his way between centre-backs to nod home a Kevin De Bruyne cross for 1-0. Classic Haaland: power, timing, clinical finish. Tottenham looked rattled, but they hit back through Son, who ghosted in behind, latched onto a Pedro Porro ball and slotted low past the keeper. 1-1, and the game was properly alive.

City’s response? Relentless. Haaland’s second came after a slick move involving Bernardo Silva and Foden, the Norwegian peeling away at the far post to tap in from close range. 2-1, and you felt City might run away with it. But this is Spurs, the chaos merchants of the league. In the second half, Kulusevski smashed a rocket into the top corner after a cut-back from Son – 2-2 and the away fans absolutely lost it.

Then came the Foden moment. On 52 minutes, he drifted inside from the left, exchanged a sharp one-two with De Bruyne and curled a beautiful right-foot finish into the far corner. 3-2 City, pure technique, pure class. Foden was everywhere – dropping between lines, driving at defenders, and linking up with Haaland like they’d been doing this for a decade.

But Spurs refused to fold. Son again. A quick transition, Spurs break, and Son races through the middle. One touch to set, one touch to finish, low and ruthless into the far corner for 3-3. If you’re talking top scorers today, Son and Haaland basically hijacked the headlines by themselves.

Decisive moment: Haaland and the VAR storm

The winner? Inevitably, it was Haaland. In the 71st minute, he spun off his marker on a corner, met De Bruyne’s whipped delivery and powered a header into the roof of the net. 4-3 City. Hat-trick. Statement made. The Etihad absolutely erupted.

But the match will be remembered just as much for the VAR controversy late on. In stoppage time, Spurs thought they had a penalty when Son went down under a challenge from Rúben Dias. The referee initially pointed to the spot, but after a long VAR check – we’re talking several minutes, players arguing, managers losing it on the touchline – the decision was overturned for the softest of offsides in the build-up. City players roared in relief, Spurs players were fuming, and social media went ballistic.

On the star power front, Haaland was absolutely unplayable – three goals, constant movement, bullying the back line. Phil Foden delivered another performance that just screams world-class, while Kevin De Bruyne quietly racked up assists and dictated tempo like only he can. For Spurs, Son Heung-min was heroic in defeat and easily one of the best players on the pitch, and Kulusevski brought pure chaos between the lines.

What this does to the football league table

In terms of the football league table, this win is huge. City grab three massive points and keep the pressure cranked up in the title race, while Spurs miss a huge chance to close the gap on the Champions League spots. Goal difference also swings City’s way thanks to Haaland’s treble, which could matter big-time come May.

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

Elsewhere in Europe: Champions League chasers make noise

Across the continent, today’s football results today kept the Champions League news ticking over. In Spain, Real Madrid edged a tight 2-1 win, with Jude Bellingham once again on the scoresheet, driving a low shot into the bottom corner from outside the box. He’s turning big-game moments into a weekly habit. In France, Kylian Mbappé kept his name in the golden boot conversation with a brace, including a trademark lightning-fast breakaway and a cold-blooded penalty.

But even with all that star power across La Liga and Ligue 1, it was the Premier League live drama that stole the show today. The title race, the top-four push, the constant twists – you can feel that we’re heading into the part of the season where every single point feels like a cup final.

Social Media Spotlight

If you’re wondering what fans are losing their minds over, it’s that late VAR decision and Haaland’s ruthless hat-trick. The hashtag #MCITOT exploded within minutes of full-time, with clips of the penalty incident and Haaland’s third goal racking up views like crazy.

Reporter's take: managers under the microscope

From my seat, this felt like one of those season-defining nights. For City, you look at Haaland’s numbers and it’s almost unfair. If he gets even half-decent service, he scores – it’s that simple. De Bruyne pulling strings behind him, Foden drifting inside and creating angles – this attack is still absolutely terrifying.

But City’s defence? That’s another story. Conceding three at home, struggling with runners in behind, and nearly throwing away points in stoppage time – if they’re serious about lifting the trophy again, the back line and defensive midfield balance need tightening, fast.

For Spurs, the attack is fun, but the game management isn’t. You can’t score three away at Man City and still come away with nothing if you want to be a real Champions League regular. In my opinion, the manager has to be more ruthless with changes – fresh legs earlier, more control in midfield, and a bit less chaos when defending set pieces.

Closing whistle: title race wide open

So where does that leave us? Today’s football results today crank the drama up another notch. Haaland and Son lit up the scoreboard, VAR lit up everyone’s timeline, and the Premier League title and top-four puzzles are nowhere near solved.

If you’re trying to make sense of who’s really in control – spoiler: nobody is – the table tells the full story. Goal differences, games in hand, and those razor-thin gaps between Champions League and Europa League spots are going to matter every single matchday from here.

Check full stats & standings now

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