Liverpool stun City in late thriller as Haaland & Salah light up live action
23.02.2026 - 05:51:35 | ad-hoc-news.de
Liverpool 3-2 Manchester City – Salah the ice-cold closer
This one felt like a Champions League knockout tie dropped in the middle of February. Liverpool and Manchester City traded punches for 90+ minutes, and it finished 3-2 to Liverpool in front of a completely unhinged Anfield.
City actually drew first blood: in the 18th minute, Erling Haaland shrugged off his marker and buried a left-footed finish into the bottom corner after a slick move involving Kevin De Bruyne. But Liverpool snapped back almost instantly. On 27 minutes, Darwin Núñez powered home a bullet header from a wicked Trent Alexander-Arnold cross to make it 1-1.
Just before half-time, the hosts turned it around. Mohamed Salah cut inside from the right, combined with Dominik Szoboszlai, and smashed a curling left-footed shot into the far top corner for 2-1. The Kop absolutely lost it. That was Salah at his ruthless, world-class best – touch, shift, bang.
City weren’t done, though. Early in the second half, another moment of Haaland chaos almost silenced Anfield. In the 58th minute, De Bruyne slipped a delicious through ball between the lines, Haaland muscled past Virgil van Dijk and slid in Phil Foden, who calmly finished low across the keeper for 2-2. Clinical, cold, pure City.
The game’s wildest moment came in the 77th minute. City thought they had the lead again when Haaland headed in from a corner, but VAR spotted a push on Van Dijk in the build-up. Goal ruled out. The away end fumed, Haaland stared at the screen in disbelief, and X instantly turned into a warzone over that decision.
And then, the killer blow. In the 89th minute, Liverpool broke at speed. Núñez dragged City’s back line wide, slipped in Salah on the overlap, and the Egyptian King showed why he’s still one of the deadliest on the planet. One touch to steady, second touch to slot it low into the far corner. 3-2. Anfield shaking. Guardiola frozen on the touchline.
So how did the superstars fare? Salah was the hero – two goals, constant menace, and the calmest finish imaginable when it mattered most. Núñez was chaos in boots, with a goal and an assist. Haaland got his goal, but he will be haunted by the disallowed header and a big one-on-one he dragged wide in stoppage time. De Bruyne, meanwhile, pulled strings all night but couldn’t drag City to a result.
Arsenal 2-0 Chelsea – Odegaard the conductor, young guns deliver
Over in North London, Arsenal took full advantage of Liverpool’s win and City’s slip by handling business against Chelsea. It finished 2-0 at the Emirates, a controlled, almost grown-up performance from Mikel Arteta’s side.
The opener arrived in the 34th minute: Bukayo Saka darted down the right, chopped back inside, and floated a perfect cross onto the head of Gabriel Jesus, who nodded past the keeper for 1-0. Almost vintage “inside forward to poacher” stuff. Chelsea looked stunned and never really recovered.
Captain Martin Ødegaard ran the show between the lines. In the 62nd minute, he slipped a gorgeous reverse pass into Leandro Trossard, who opened his body and swept in a clean finish for 2-0. From there, Arsenal managed the game like a side that believes it can actually win this thing. No stupid risks, no late defensive panic.
For Chelsea, it was more frustration. Cole Palmer tried to drag them forward and had one big chance parried away, but there was nowhere near enough support. The contrast to Arsenal’s cohesion was brutal.
Title race shockwaves – who’s really on top?
With Liverpool beating City and Arsenal easing past Chelsea, the Premier League live title race just tightened in a massive way. City’s defeat puts real pressure on Pep Guardiola’s squad, especially with Haaland looking human at key moments. Liverpool and Arsenal both look sharper, hungrier, and less forgiving.
What does this mean for the title race? The table just shuffled dramatically: Liverpool gain crucial ground, City lose momentum, and Arsenal quietly keep pace. For the latest complete picture, including goal difference, games in hand, and form, hit the live standings below.
What does this mean for the title race? Click here for the live standings
Champions League implications – mindset and momentum
Yeah, it’s not a Champions League night, but tell that to the intensity levels. This kind of statement win for Liverpool doesn’t just shake up the domestic football league table – it thunders straight into their European confidence too. Beating City in this manner tells the whole continent they’re absolutely for real.
City, on the other hand, suddenly look a touch vulnerable. Haaland scored, but missed big. De Bruyne created, but couldn’t kill the game. In Champions League news terms, every rival coach in Europe just watched this match report and circled “high press + aggressive transitions” as the way to rattle the champions.
Social Media Spotlight: Salah, VAR and pure chaos
If you jump on your phone right now, you’ll see exactly how insane the reaction is. The hot topic? That VAR call on Haaland’s “winner” and Salah’s cold-blooded late strike. One fan posted that the disallowed goal will “define the title race”, while another simply wrote: “Salah. That’s it. That’s the tweet.”
The Internet is Exploding: 3 Social Media Highlights
X Discussion: Fans losing it over Salah’s late winner and the VAR call on Haaland’s header
Reporter’s hot take – City rattled, Liverpool ruthless
Honestly, this felt like a passing of the emotional torch, if not mathematically then definitely mentally. In my opinion, City looked rattled for the first time in a long time. The moment VAR chalked off Haaland’s header, their composure cracked. They started forcing passes, chasing chaos instead of controlling it, and Liverpool feasted on that desperation.
Liverpool, meanwhile, looked like the vintage monster we’ve seen in past title races. Salah is still a stone-cold killer, Núñez finally channeled his chaos into end product, and Van Dijk rose when it really mattered. This was the type of night where legends add another chapter to their story.
If City don’t react fast, this doesn’t just become “a bad result” – it becomes the night the whole season turned. Pep might have to rip up a few comfort zones, especially in how they manage transitions against elite pressing sides. Right now, Liverpool look like the side no one wants to face, home or away.
Closing whistle – today changes everything
So if you were just searching for “football results today” and hoping for a quiet Sunday update, sorry – the football gods delivered full chaos mode instead. Salah’s clutch finishing, Haaland’s mix of brilliance and frustration, Arsenal’s mature control – it all feeds into a title race that just went nuclear.
If you care about what happens next – who tops the football league table, who’s chasing, who’s collapsing – you can’t ignore tonight. Bookmark the standings, keep one eye on form, and get ready for the run-in to go absolutely off the rails.
Check full stats & standings now
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