Liverpool stun City in late drama as Haaland fires but Salah has last word – Live chaos
07.02.2026 - 15:27:22
Liverpool 3–2 Manchester City – Anfield turns into a madhouse
Did you see that?? This was pure chaos, pure drama, pure peak Premier League live energy. Manchester City actually drew first blood, and of course it was Erling Haaland. On 19 minutes, Kevin De Bruyne slipped one of those trademark slide-rule passes through the lines, Haaland bullied his marker, opened his body and buried it low past Alisson. Goal machine mode: Erling Haaland 19', another one on his crazy tally.
For a while, it looked like City would suffocate Liverpool. Phil Foden cracked the bar, Bernardo Silva was everywhere, and Haaland even had another effort ruled out for a marginal offside after a quick VAR check. But Liverpool refused to die. Right before half-time, they hit back: Mohamed Salah 44'. Trent Alexander-Arnold whipped in a vicious cross, City half-cleared, and Salah pounced on the rebound, smashing it into the top corner. Anfield erupted. From nowhere, it was 1–1 and the place felt like it was shaking.
Second half? Pure mayhem. City came out quicker again, and on 57 minutes they retook the lead. A short-corner routine ended with De Bruyne floating a deep ball to the far post where Rúben Dias 57' rose highest and powered a header home. 2–1 City, and Pep Guardiola was bouncing on the touchline like it was already job done.
But this Liverpool side just doesn't accept scripts. Jürgen Klopp threw on more firepower, pushed the full-backs insanely high, and the game turned into basketball. Darwin Núñez rattled the post, Haaland forced a sharp save from Alisson, and then came the turning point: a huge VAR moment in the 74th minute.
Núñez chased a long ball, collided with Ederson inside the box, and the referee initially waved play on. Anfield exploded in fury. After a long VAR review – we're talking lines, multiple angles, the lot – the ref finally pointed to the spot. City players lost it, Pep was raging on the touchline, and the crowd went ballistic. Up stepped Mohamed Salah 76' (pen), ice-cold, sending Ederson the wrong way. 2–2. The title race had officially descended into chaos.
And then came the killer. In the 89th minute, with City pinned back, Luis Díaz danced in from the left, played a slick one-two with Núñez, and drilled a low shot through a forest of legs into the far corner. Luis Díaz 89', absolute scenes. Díaz ripped off towards the Kop, Klopp was sprinting down the touchline, and City players just sank to the turf. A last-minute winner in a direct title showdown – that's the kind of moment that defines a season.
Heroes & flops: Haaland shines, Salah delivers, City defence crumbles
Erling Haaland did his thing: he scored, bullied defenders, and was always one step away from another goal. You can't call him a flop – he was City's sharpest threat. But when it mattered in the final 20 minutes, Liverpool smothered the supply. Kevin De Bruyne dictated the tempo early on, grabbed that assist, but faded as Liverpool cranked up the intensity.
For Liverpool, this was all about Mohamed Salah and Luis Díaz. Salah dragged them back into the game with that thunderbolt before half-time and showed cold-blooded composure from the spot with the whole season on his shoulders. Díaz? Superhero stuff. His direct running kept City on edge all night, and the winning goal will be replayed about a million times before breakfast.
Defensively, City will be fuming. Rúben Dias went from hero to heartbroken: he scored with that big header but then looked rattled every time Liverpool ran at him late on. And that penalty decision – soft for some, stonewall for others – is exactly why X/Twitter is currently an inferno.
Title race shockwaves – what this does to the table
This result is huge. City drop massive points in a direct six-pointer, and Liverpool rocket themselves right back into the middle of the title conversation. Depending on the rest of the football results today, this swing could be a three-point or even six-point momentum shift over the coming weeks. Momentum-wise, it feels like a nine-point swing.
Liverpool's attack looks alive again, and with Salah in full killer mode, nobody will fancy coming to Anfield. City, on the other hand, suddenly look mortal – the aura of control cracked under the noise and pressure tonight. One thing is certain: the standings you woke up to this morning already look outdated.
What does this mean for the title race? Click here for the live standings
Elsewhere in Europe – Bellingham and Mbappé keep the stars shining
While England was losing its mind, the rest of Europe wasn't exactly quiet. In Spain, Jude Bellingham once again turned up under the lights for Real Madrid. He bagged a decisive goal in a 2–1 win, ghosting into the box in classic style to slam home from close range. Another day, another match report where Bellingham is the difference-maker – he just keeps showing up in big moments.
In France, Kylian Mbappé delivered again for PSG. A slick brace – one curled finish from the edge of the area, another cool one-on-one after burning his marker for pace – helped PSG to a comfortable win and kept them sitting pretty at the top of Ligue 1. Mbappé wasn't just scoring; he was showboating, dropping shoulders, and leaving defenders on the floor. Defenders in Ligue 1 must be having nightmares at this point.
Across Europe, the Champions League news angle is crystal clear: the big stars are tuning up perfectly for the knockout stages. Haaland still lethal, Bellingham clutch, Mbappé untouchable – if you're not glued to the next Champions League matchdays, you're missing out.
Social Media Spotlight
The Internet is Exploding: 3 Social Media Highlights
X Discussion: Fans furious and divided over the late VAR penalty for Liverpool
My take: Klopp's chaos ball > City control, tonight at least
Let's be real: in my opinion, this is exactly why we watch football. For all of Pep's structure and control, tonight felt like Klopp dragging the game into his kind of fight – wild, emotional, end-to-end, fueled by the crowd. City were the better side for about an hour, but Liverpool had the mentality and the bravery to keep swinging, and it paid off.
Could the penalty have gone the other way? Absolutely. But if you let Anfield smell blood and you sit back on a one-goal lead, you're basically inviting this kind of finish. I don't think the City boss has to go or anything dramatic like that, but he'll definitely be raging at how passive his side became in the last 15 minutes.
Liverpool, on the other hand, look like a team that believes again. If Salah and Díaz keep this up, and the Kop keeps that noise level, this title race is nowhere near over. Bookmark this night – it might be the turning point we look back on in May.
Final whistle – what next?
The football league table just got a serious shake, and every neutral watching is quietly praying these two meet again in a cup or Champions League tie. From Haaland's early strike to Díaz's last-minute winner and that explosive VAR twist, this had everything.
If you want the full context – who's top, who's chasing, who's suddenly back in the Champions League spots – you need to look at the live standings, not yesterday's numbers.
Check full stats & standings now
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