Haaland hat-trick, De Bruyne masterclass: Man City destroy Everton live
07.02.2026 - 05:42:24
Kick-off! As of today, 2026-02-07, the pitch is on fire... If you love soccer games with goals, chaos and pure drama, today was your kind of madness. At the Etihad, Manchester City absolutely shredded Everton 5-1 in a statement win that screamed: "We're still the kings." Erling Haaland bagged a brutal hat-trick, Kevin De Bruyne pulled the strings like a puppet master, and Pep Guardiola’s side sent a very loud message to the rest of the Premier League live title contenders.
Everton tried to hang in, but City were treating this like a training drill at full speed. On 31 minutes, Phil Foden drifted inside off the left, exchanged a slick one-two with Bernardo Silva, and curled a shot that Pickford could only parry into danger. Who was there? Haaland again. Right place, right time, easy tap-in – 2-0 and the Norwegian already climbing the top scorers today charts.
The third goal was pure art. Just before half-time, De Bruyne picked the ball up 30 yards out, glanced up and clipped a ridiculous outside-of-the-boot pass over the Everton back line. Julián Álvarez ghosted between the centre-backs and volleyed first time past Pickford – 3-0 and the Etihad absolutely bouncing. De Bruyne might not be the one topping the goal charts, but in terms of football intelligence, he owned the whole pitch.
Everton briefly threatened a comeback after the break. In the 55th minute, Dwight McNeil whipped in a cross from the left, Dominic Calvert-Lewin bullied his way between Rúben Dias and John Stones and powered a header beyond Ederson to make it 3-1. For a few minutes, you could feel the tension: City got a bit sloppy, Everton pressed high, and suddenly it felt like a proper scrap instead of a training exercise.
While Everton were still arguing with the universe, City finished the job. On 71 minutes, Bernardo Silva nicked the ball high up the pitch, squared it quickly to Foden, and the England star drilled a low effort from the edge of the box. Pickford saved, but again the rebound fell to the same man: Haaland. One touch, top corner, hat-trick. 4-1, game dead, Golden Boot warning fired across the league.
To rub salt into Everton wounds, City added a fifth late on. In the 84th minute, De Bruyne stepped over a free kick just outside the box and curled it over the wall into the top-right corner. Pickford barely moved. 5-1, a goal and two assists for KDB, three goals for Haaland – the kind of stat line that destroys any remaining hope for City’s title rivals.
Kevin De Bruyne? Unreal. One of those nights where he played like he had a cheat code: one outrageous assist for Haaland’s opener, a genius ball over the top for Álvarez, and that filthy free kick to cap it. City’s entire attacking rhythm flowed through him. Without him, City are dangerous; with him, they’re terrifying.
Phil Foden was buzzing too – drifting inside, creating overloads, peppering Pickford all game. He didn’t get the headline numbers that Haaland and De Bruyne did, but he ripped Everton’s shape to pieces.
On the flip side, Everton’s back line will have nightmares. Branthwaite and Tarkowski were dragged all over the place, their full-backs were pinned back by City’s wide threats, and even when they defended the first shot, they couldn’t deal with the second balls. Calvert-Lewin at least gave them a focal point and got his goal, but it felt like he was fighting a lone war up front.
With the Champions League news cycle already heating up, you can feel how today’s result feeds into the bigger European picture. City look like a machine again just as knockout football looms, and no one in Europe will be thrilled about seeing Haaland and De Bruyne in this kind of mood.
If you scroll the hashtag, you'll see frame-by-frame screenshots of Calvert-Lewin's position, fans tagging PGMOL, and endless debates about what "interfering with play" actually means. Typical modern football: every big moment is a law exam and a meme factory at the same time.
For Everton, the anger at VAR is understandable, but they can’t pretend the scoreline was just about one decision. You can’t let City take that many shots, win that many second balls, and keep their key men that free. Defensively, Dyche’s side looked way too stretched, and unless they tighten up fast, the relegation conversation is going to get very real, very quickly.
Want to see exactly how much this 5-1 thrashing changed everything? One click and you've got the full story on the standings, goal differences, streaks, and who's suddenly under pressure.
Man City 5-1 Everton – Haaland Rage Mode Activated
You wanted fireworks? You got them. Manchester City came flying out of the gate, and it took just 14 minutes for the scoring to start. Kevin De Bruyne slid a filthy through ball into the channel, Erling Haaland muscled past Jarrad Branthwaite and smashed a low rocket past Jordan Pickford for 1-0. Classic Haaland: one touch to set, one to destroy.Everton tried to hang in, but City were treating this like a training drill at full speed. On 31 minutes, Phil Foden drifted inside off the left, exchanged a slick one-two with Bernardo Silva, and curled a shot that Pickford could only parry into danger. Who was there? Haaland again. Right place, right time, easy tap-in – 2-0 and the Norwegian already climbing the top scorers today charts.
The third goal was pure art. Just before half-time, De Bruyne picked the ball up 30 yards out, glanced up and clipped a ridiculous outside-of-the-boot pass over the Everton back line. Julián Álvarez ghosted between the centre-backs and volleyed first time past Pickford – 3-0 and the Etihad absolutely bouncing. De Bruyne might not be the one topping the goal charts, but in terms of football intelligence, he owned the whole pitch.
Everton briefly threatened a comeback after the break. In the 55th minute, Dwight McNeil whipped in a cross from the left, Dominic Calvert-Lewin bullied his way between Rúben Dias and John Stones and powered a header beyond Ederson to make it 3-1. For a few minutes, you could feel the tension: City got a bit sloppy, Everton pressed high, and suddenly it felt like a proper scrap instead of a training exercise.
VAR Chaos: The Offside Call Everyone's Talking About
Then came the moment that lit social media on fire. At 63 minutes, McNeil thought he’d dragged Everton right back into it. He smashed home after a loose ball in the box, only for the flag to go up. VAR took ages checking whether Calvert-Lewin was offside and interfering with Ederson’s view. After a long delay, the goal was ruled out. Everton players were furious, Sean Dyche lost his mind on the touchline, and #MCIEVE instantly turned into a war zone on X. City fans were yelling "justice," Everton fans were calling it a robbery – proper Premier League drama.While Everton were still arguing with the universe, City finished the job. On 71 minutes, Bernardo Silva nicked the ball high up the pitch, squared it quickly to Foden, and the England star drilled a low effort from the edge of the box. Pickford saved, but again the rebound fell to the same man: Haaland. One touch, top corner, hat-trick. 4-1, game dead, Golden Boot warning fired across the league.
To rub salt into Everton wounds, City added a fifth late on. In the 84th minute, De Bruyne stepped over a free kick just outside the box and curled it over the wall into the top-right corner. Pickford barely moved. 5-1, a goal and two assists for KDB, three goals for Haaland – the kind of stat line that destroys any remaining hope for City’s title rivals.
Heroes, Flops & The Bigger Picture
Let's talk stars. Erling Haaland was pure ruthlessness – three goals, bullying centre-backs, living in that tiny gap between chaos and perfection. He looked every bit like the monster striker chasing down the Premier League Golden Boot again. If you watched only him, you saw why defenders have nightmares.Kevin De Bruyne? Unreal. One of those nights where he played like he had a cheat code: one outrageous assist for Haaland’s opener, a genius ball over the top for Álvarez, and that filthy free kick to cap it. City’s entire attacking rhythm flowed through him. Without him, City are dangerous; with him, they’re terrifying.
Phil Foden was buzzing too – drifting inside, creating overloads, peppering Pickford all game. He didn’t get the headline numbers that Haaland and De Bruyne did, but he ripped Everton’s shape to pieces.
On the flip side, Everton’s back line will have nightmares. Branthwaite and Tarkowski were dragged all over the place, their full-backs were pinned back by City’s wide threats, and even when they defended the first shot, they couldn’t deal with the second balls. Calvert-Lewin at least gave them a focal point and got his goal, but it felt like he was fighting a lone war up front.
What This Does to the Football League Table
This win is massive for the football league table picture. City’s three points pile huge pressure on the rest of the top four, especially with rivals still to play this weekend. The goal difference swing from a 5-1 thrashing is just as important – in a tight title race, those extra goals can be pure gold. For Everton, the defeat keeps them hovering dangerously close to the relegation zone, and that disallowed McNeil goal will sting even more when they look at the standings.What does this mean for the title race? Click here for the live standings
With the Champions League news cycle already heating up, you can feel how today’s result feeds into the bigger European picture. City look like a machine again just as knockout football looms, and no one in Europe will be thrilled about seeing Haaland and De Bruyne in this kind of mood.
Social Media Spotlight: The Internet Meltdown
Everyone jumped online the second that VAR call went against Everton, and the takes are flying everywhere. The hashtag is doing numbers, clips of the disallowed goal are looping nonstop, and every fanbase has an opinion on whether the officials got it right or completely bottled it.The Internet is Exploding: 3 Social Media Highlights
X Discussion: Fans furious over the VAR offside that killed Everton's comeback
Reporter's Take: City Just Sent a Message
Here's my honest take: this was City saying, "We're not going anywhere." The intensity, the pressing, the swagger on the ball – it felt like one of those nights that tilt a whole season. When Haaland plays with that hunger and De Bruyne is in conductor mode, it’s almost unfair. Any team chasing the Premier League live crown tonight will be watching those highlights with a bit of fear.For Everton, the anger at VAR is understandable, but they can’t pretend the scoreline was just about one decision. You can’t let City take that many shots, win that many second balls, and keep their key men that free. Defensively, Dyche’s side looked way too stretched, and unless they tighten up fast, the relegation conversation is going to get very real, very quickly.
Closing Whistle: Title Race Heating Up
So yeah, if you missed today's action, you missed Haaland going full cheat mode, De Bruyne dropping another masterclass, and social media melting down over a VAR call that will be talked about for days. This is exactly why we love soccer games – the noise, the drama, the arguments, and the moments of ridiculous quality that change seasons in 90 minutes.Want to see exactly how much this 5-1 thrashing changed everything? One click and you've got the full story on the standings, goal differences, streaks, and who's suddenly under pressure.
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