Liverpool stun Chelsea in extra-time thriller – Premier League live shocker
07.02.2026 - 09:01:25
Kick-off! As of today, 2026-02-07, the pitch is on fire... You wanted chaos, drama and pure adrenaline from your soccer games – and the Premier League just dropped a blockbuster. Under the Anfield lights, Liverpool squeezed past Chelsea in extra time in a 3-2 classic that could end up being a massive swing in the title race.
This one had it all: Darwin Núñez turning into a one-man wrecking ball, Cole Palmer doing Cole Palmer things again, a late VAR scare, and Mohamed Salah stuck on the bench as the whole stadium held its breath. If you missed it live, you seriously missed a movie-level script.
On 18 minutes, Trent Alexander-Arnold fizzed in a wicked low cross, Chelsea failed to clear, and Darwin Núñez pounced. One touch to set himself, then a thumping left-foot finish into the roof of the net. 1–0 Liverpool, Anfield shaking, Núñez screaming into the Kop. Chelsea players looked stunned, and you felt they were hanging on.
But this Chelsea under the spotlight doesn’t stay quiet for long. Just before half-time, Raheem Sterling picked up the ball wide, drifted inside and slid a neat pass into Cole Palmer. Ice-cold as always, Palmer opened his body and slotted past Alisson into the far corner on 43 minutes. 1–1, totally against the run of play, but so, so clinical from Chelsea’s new talisman.
Chelsea started to grow as Palmer and Sterling found pockets. On 64 minutes, Palmer nearly flipped the script again, curling one just wide after a quick give-and-go with Christopher Nkunku. For a stretch, it felt like Liverpool had lost control – until Luis Díaz decided he'd had enough.
On 71 minutes, Luis Díaz exploded down the left, skinned Reece James, and cut the ball back into the box. Szoboszlai’s shot was blocked, but it ricocheted perfectly into the path of Núñez. The Uruguayan kept his head this time and slid it low past the keeper for his second of the night. 2–1 Liverpool, and Anfield absolutely erupted again.
Palmer vs Alisson, 86th minute. The kid didn’t even blink. Low, hard, bottom corner. 2–2. Chelsea’s away end went absolutely wild, and suddenly Liverpool’s fans looked like they’d just watched a horror twist ending.
Instead, the clutch moment fell to Diogo Jota. In the first half of extra time, on 103 minutes, Alexander-Arnold whipped in yet another wicked delivery, Núñez flicked it on, and Jota ghosted between Thiago Silva and Benoît Badiashile to stab home from close range. 3–2 Liverpool. Jota peeled away sliding on his knees, and you could feel the roof coming off Anfield through the TV screen.
Chelsea tried to respond, but Palmer finally faded, looking absolutely gassed. A last-gasp Nkunku header drifted wide, and that was that. Liverpool survive. Chelsea heartbroken. Palmer brilliant, but Núñez and Jota stole the show.
Mohamed Salah? Honestly, a quiet night. He didn’t look sharp, and for once, Liverpool’s attack felt more dangerous before he came on. It’s probably just rust, but it’s a big narrative point heading into the next run of soccer games.
Defensively, Liverpool still look wobbly. Giving up two goals at home, one from a clumsy penalty, is not title-winning stability. Chelsea, meanwhile, look insanely reliant on Palmer; when he fades, so do they.
Chelsea, on the other side, can’t keep asking Cole Palmer to be everything, every week. He was brilliant again – a goal from open play, a pressure penalty, constant creativity – but there’s only so much a single player can do when the rest of the structure is shaky. If I’m in that dressing room, I’m looking at senior guys like Sterling and the back line and asking for a lot more.
In my opinion, this was an absolute world-class performance from Núñez mentally. We’ve seen him miss big chances, get mocked, feel the pressure. Tonight he shook all that off, scored twice in a massive game and looked like the guy who wants the spotlight. If he keeps this up, the Premier League’s top scorers today and all season will have a new name in the conversation.
This one had it all: Darwin Núñez turning into a one-man wrecking ball, Cole Palmer doing Cole Palmer things again, a late VAR scare, and Mohamed Salah stuck on the bench as the whole stadium held its breath. If you missed it live, you seriously missed a movie-level script.
Liverpool vs Chelsea – Núñez goes beast mode, Palmer nearly breaks hearts
From the first whistle, you could feel the tempo. Liverpool flew out of the blocks, snapping into every duel, while Chelsea tried to slow it down and play through Enzo Fernández and Moisés Caicedo. But the breakthrough came early – and it was pure chaos-ball.On 18 minutes, Trent Alexander-Arnold fizzed in a wicked low cross, Chelsea failed to clear, and Darwin Núñez pounced. One touch to set himself, then a thumping left-foot finish into the roof of the net. 1–0 Liverpool, Anfield shaking, Núñez screaming into the Kop. Chelsea players looked stunned, and you felt they were hanging on.
But this Chelsea under the spotlight doesn’t stay quiet for long. Just before half-time, Raheem Sterling picked up the ball wide, drifted inside and slid a neat pass into Cole Palmer. Ice-cold as always, Palmer opened his body and slotted past Alisson into the far corner on 43 minutes. 1–1, totally against the run of play, but so, so clinical from Chelsea’s new talisman.
Second-half swings: Salah muted, Díaz sparks life
Into the second half and all eyes were on Mohamed Salah. The Egyptian king, just back from fitness issues, started on the bench, and honestly, Liverpool looked both more unpredictable and more wasteful without him. Núñez rattled the bar on 53 minutes, then dragged another big chance wide after a slick one-two with Dominik Szoboszlai. You could almost feel Salah staring at those misses like: "Yeah, that’s my zone."Chelsea started to grow as Palmer and Sterling found pockets. On 64 minutes, Palmer nearly flipped the script again, curling one just wide after a quick give-and-go with Christopher Nkunku. For a stretch, it felt like Liverpool had lost control – until Luis Díaz decided he'd had enough.
On 71 minutes, Luis Díaz exploded down the left, skinned Reece James, and cut the ball back into the box. Szoboszlai’s shot was blocked, but it ricocheted perfectly into the path of Núñez. The Uruguayan kept his head this time and slid it low past the keeper for his second of the night. 2–1 Liverpool, and Anfield absolutely erupted again.
Late Palmer penalty drama and VAR chaos
You thought it was done? No chance. Chelsea somehow kept believing. On 84 minutes, Sterling darted into the box, clipped the ball past Ibrahima Konaté and went down. The ref pointed straight to the spot. VAR checked it for what felt like a full episode of a Netflix series – contact, angle, intent – the whole lot. In the end, the penalty stood, and who else but Cole Palmer stepped up.Palmer vs Alisson, 86th minute. The kid didn’t even blink. Low, hard, bottom corner. 2–2. Chelsea’s away end went absolutely wild, and suddenly Liverpool’s fans looked like they’d just watched a horror twist ending.
Extra time – supersub seal: Jota the clutch king
With Salah finally thrown on in the 89th minute, you expected a fairy-tale winner. Weirdly, he looked rusty – a couple of heavy touches, one free kick into the wall, and one half-chance dragged wide. No hero script tonight for the Egyptian; he was more decoy than destroyer.Instead, the clutch moment fell to Diogo Jota. In the first half of extra time, on 103 minutes, Alexander-Arnold whipped in yet another wicked delivery, Núñez flicked it on, and Jota ghosted between Thiago Silva and Benoît Badiashile to stab home from close range. 3–2 Liverpool. Jota peeled away sliding on his knees, and you could feel the roof coming off Anfield through the TV screen.
Chelsea tried to respond, but Palmer finally faded, looking absolutely gassed. A last-gasp Nkunku header drifted wide, and that was that. Liverpool survive. Chelsea heartbroken. Palmer brilliant, but Núñez and Jota stole the show.
Heroes, flops & the title race shake-up
Darwin Núñez was the chaos king tonight – two goals, one shot off the bar, constant movement. If he tidies up his finishing just a bit more, defenders are in trouble. Cole Palmer was pure class again: one ice-cold finish, one nerveless penalty, and basically carrying Chelsea’s attacking threat for long stretches.Mohamed Salah? Honestly, a quiet night. He didn’t look sharp, and for once, Liverpool’s attack felt more dangerous before he came on. It’s probably just rust, but it’s a big narrative point heading into the next run of soccer games.
Defensively, Liverpool still look wobbly. Giving up two goals at home, one from a clumsy penalty, is not title-winning stability. Chelsea, meanwhile, look insanely reliant on Palmer; when he fades, so do they.
What does this mean for the title race? Liverpool’s extra-time win keeps them right in the thick of the Premier League live battle near the top. Chelsea, meanwhile, sink further away from Champions League spots and are stuck fighting just to keep their season relevant. To see exactly how those three points shake up the football league table, the live standings are your best friend.
Click here for the live standings
Social Media Spotlight: Núñez & VAR steal the timeline
Right now, the internet is absolutely melting down over two things: Darwin Núñez’s mad performance and that late penalty that let Palmer drag Chelsea back into the game. Liverpool fans are split between "Núñez is inevitable" and "how is our defence this fragile?", while Chelsea fans are posting paragraphs about VAR, the ref and supposed conspiracies.The Internet is Exploding: 3 Social Media Highlights
X Discussion: Fans furious over the late VAR penalty and debating Núñez vs Palmer
My take: Liverpool are thrilling but terrifying
From a young reporter’s seat, here’s the brutal truth: Liverpool look like a team that can beat anyone and also give anyone a chance. The attacking power is insane – Núñez, Díaz, Jota, and a (soon) fully fit Salah will scare every defender in the league. But if you’re conceding two at home to a still-in-transition Chelsea, you’re flirting with disaster in the title race.Chelsea, on the other side, can’t keep asking Cole Palmer to be everything, every week. He was brilliant again – a goal from open play, a pressure penalty, constant creativity – but there’s only so much a single player can do when the rest of the structure is shaky. If I’m in that dressing room, I’m looking at senior guys like Sterling and the back line and asking for a lot more.
In my opinion, this was an absolute world-class performance from Núñez mentally. We’ve seen him miss big chances, get mocked, feel the pressure. Tonight he shook all that off, scored twice in a massive game and looked like the guy who wants the spotlight. If he keeps this up, the Premier League’s top scorers today and all season will have a new name in the conversation.
What’s next?
This win keeps Liverpool locked into a fierce title chase while Chelsea’s Champions League dreams keep fading. Every point from here is going to be pure stress. The football league table is changing with almost every matchday, and nights like this – extra-time winners, penalty drama, big stars under scrutiny – are exactly what decide trophies in May.Check full stats & standings now
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