Liverpool v Man City chaos live: Anfield thriller shakes title race
24.01.2026 - 07:49:36
Kick-off! As of today, 2026-01-24, the pitch is on fire... You wanted football results today with pure chaos? Anfield just delivered a Premier League live classic between Liverpool and Manchester City that could flip the whole title race on its head.
The headline: Liverpool 3–2 Manchester City in a game that swung like a pendulum and felt like it was played at 200 bpm. From Erling Haaland bullying defenders to Mohamed Salah stepping up in the clutch, this one had everything – screamer goals, a huge VAR call, and a finale that left both sets of fans shaking.
City drew first blood. On 18 minutes, Erling Haaland did exactly what Erling Haaland does: a sharp run off the shoulder, Kevin De Bruyne slid a filthy through ball into his path, and Haaland slammed it low past Alisson from the edge of the box. 0–1, clinical finish, and you could feel the away end already singing about the title.
But Liverpool hit back with pure chaos energy. On 34 minutes, Luis Díaz dragged them level, cutting inside from the left after a quick one-two with Darwin Núñez and bending a right-footed effort into the far corner. Ederson got fingertips on it but nowhere near enough. 1–1 and Anfield woke up properly.
Right before half-time, the game exploded again. City retook the lead on 43 minutes when Phil Foden ghosted in at the back post to tap in a low cross from Bernardo Silva. Liverpool’s back line completely switched off, and Foden punished them. 1–2 at the break, and City looked like they were in control.
On 57 minutes, Mohamed Salah dragged Liverpool level from the spot. Darwin Núñez was clipped by Rúben Dias after bursting into the box, and after a brief VAR check, the penalty stood. Salah went low and hard to Ederson’s right, 2–2, and suddenly City looked rattled.
From there, Salah became unplayable in pockets. He kept drifting inside, dragging defenders with him, opening lanes for Díaz and Núñez. Haaland, on the other hand, started to fade as Liverpool’s centre-backs tightened up and cut off his service. De Bruyne kept trying to find him, but the early sharpness wasn’t there anymore.
Then came the moment everyone’s arguing about. On 88 minutes, a corner for Liverpool caused absolute panic in the box. The initial delivery was half-cleared, Trent Alexander-Arnold fired it back in, and the ball pinged around before dropping to Dominik Szoboszlai at the edge of the area. His shot took a wicked deflection off Manuel Akanji and flew past Ederson. Anfield exploded: 3–2.
City players surrounded the referee, screaming for a handball in the build-up, claiming the ball brushed Núñez’s arm before falling to Szoboszlai. VAR checked it for what felt like forever, the replays went up on the big screen, and the away fans were fuming. In the end, the goal stood. No clear and obvious error, said VAR. Liverpool in front, City in disbelief.
Haaland had one last half-chance in stoppage time, stretching for a De Bruyne cross, but he couldn’t get enough on the header. Alisson claimed, the whistle went, and Anfield just erupted.
Dominik Szoboszlai was the surprise hero, though. He dictated phases of play in midfield and then popped up with the deflected winner. Not the cleanest goal he’ll ever score, but try telling the Kop they care about that tonight.
On the other side, Erling Haaland was ruthless early on but faded badly. He took his opening goal perfectly, but once Liverpool adjusted and stopped De Bruyne from receiving between the lines as easily, Haaland looked isolated. In a game this big, one shot on target besides the goal feels underwhelming by his insane standards.
Kevin De Bruyne still showed his world-class vision with that assist and a few whipped balls into the box, but he couldn’t wrestle back control in the final 20 minutes when Liverpool’s press suffocated City. Guardiola will not be thrilled with how his midfield got overrun late on.
If you look at the football league table right now, Liverpool’s win swings the momentum. City’s aura of control takes a hit, and suddenly every point in the run-in feels gigantic.
In La Liga, Real Madrid edged a gritty 2–1 win with Jude Bellingham once again on the scoresheet, arriving late in the box like it’s his personal trademark. Over in Ligue 1, Kylian Mbappé bagged a brace for PSG – a penalty and a blistering counter-attack finish – reminding everyone why he’s always in the top scorers today conversation.
Champions League news is already bubbling too, with pundits lining up to ask: if this is the level Liverpool and City are hitting domestically, what kind of chaos are we about to see when the knockout rounds kick off?
Here’s your shortcut to the best of the chaos:
You’ll see everything from raw phone clips from the Kop to freeze-frames of Núñez’s arm angle to City fans asking what on earth VAR is actually for anymore.
On the flip side, this was peak Anfield. Salah stepping up in the crunch, Díaz fearless on the ball, Szoboszlai refusing to hide, and the crowd dragging every last drop of energy out of them. You don’t win titles in January, but you absolutely can send a message – and Liverpool just blasted one across the league.
If you’re tracking football results today, keep one eye on the scores and the other on how the big stars react. Does Haaland come storming back next week with a hat-trick? Does Salah keep this killer form running deep into the Champions League?
The headline: Liverpool 3–2 Manchester City in a game that swung like a pendulum and felt like it was played at 200 bpm. From Erling Haaland bullying defenders to Mohamed Salah stepping up in the clutch, this one had everything – screamer goals, a huge VAR call, and a finale that left both sets of fans shaking.
Liverpool 3–2 Manchester City: Anfield turns into a madhouse
This was the blockbuster in today's football results, and it did not disappoint.City drew first blood. On 18 minutes, Erling Haaland did exactly what Erling Haaland does: a sharp run off the shoulder, Kevin De Bruyne slid a filthy through ball into his path, and Haaland slammed it low past Alisson from the edge of the box. 0–1, clinical finish, and you could feel the away end already singing about the title.
But Liverpool hit back with pure chaos energy. On 34 minutes, Luis Díaz dragged them level, cutting inside from the left after a quick one-two with Darwin Núñez and bending a right-footed effort into the far corner. Ederson got fingertips on it but nowhere near enough. 1–1 and Anfield woke up properly.
Right before half-time, the game exploded again. City retook the lead on 43 minutes when Phil Foden ghosted in at the back post to tap in a low cross from Bernardo Silva. Liverpool’s back line completely switched off, and Foden punished them. 1–2 at the break, and City looked like they were in control.
Salah time and a wild last act
Second half, and it turned into a straight-up shootout. Liverpool upped the tempo, and the big names had to show up.On 57 minutes, Mohamed Salah dragged Liverpool level from the spot. Darwin Núñez was clipped by Rúben Dias after bursting into the box, and after a brief VAR check, the penalty stood. Salah went low and hard to Ederson’s right, 2–2, and suddenly City looked rattled.
From there, Salah became unplayable in pockets. He kept drifting inside, dragging defenders with him, opening lanes for Díaz and Núñez. Haaland, on the other hand, started to fade as Liverpool’s centre-backs tightened up and cut off his service. De Bruyne kept trying to find him, but the early sharpness wasn’t there anymore.
Then came the moment everyone’s arguing about. On 88 minutes, a corner for Liverpool caused absolute panic in the box. The initial delivery was half-cleared, Trent Alexander-Arnold fired it back in, and the ball pinged around before dropping to Dominik Szoboszlai at the edge of the area. His shot took a wicked deflection off Manuel Akanji and flew past Ederson. Anfield exploded: 3–2.
City players surrounded the referee, screaming for a handball in the build-up, claiming the ball brushed Núñez’s arm before falling to Szoboszlai. VAR checked it for what felt like forever, the replays went up on the big screen, and the away fans were fuming. In the end, the goal stood. No clear and obvious error, said VAR. Liverpool in front, City in disbelief.
Haaland had one last half-chance in stoppage time, stretching for a De Bruyne cross, but he couldn’t get enough on the header. Alisson claimed, the whistle went, and Anfield just erupted.
Heroes and flops: who owned the night?
Mohamed Salah was absolutely central to everything Liverpool did going forward. A goal from the spot, constant movement, dragging markers out of position – he didn’t rack up a hat-trick, but he was the emotional and tactical heartbeat. Every time Liverpool broke, you looked for Salah first.Dominik Szoboszlai was the surprise hero, though. He dictated phases of play in midfield and then popped up with the deflected winner. Not the cleanest goal he’ll ever score, but try telling the Kop they care about that tonight.
On the other side, Erling Haaland was ruthless early on but faded badly. He took his opening goal perfectly, but once Liverpool adjusted and stopped De Bruyne from receiving between the lines as easily, Haaland looked isolated. In a game this big, one shot on target besides the goal feels underwhelming by his insane standards.
Kevin De Bruyne still showed his world-class vision with that assist and a few whipped balls into the box, but he couldn’t wrestle back control in the final 20 minutes when Liverpool’s press suffocated City. Guardiola will not be thrilled with how his midfield got overrun late on.
What this does to the Premier League table
This result is massive. City came into today with a slim lead at the top, but dropping all three points at Anfield blows the title race wide open. Liverpool close the gap and crank the pressure straight back on Guardiola’s side, while Arsenal and the chasing pack will be buzzing watching this unfold.If you look at the football league table right now, Liverpool’s win swings the momentum. City’s aura of control takes a hit, and suddenly every point in the run-in feels gigantic.
What does this mean for the title race? Click here for the live standings
Elsewhere in today's big football results
Across Europe, the other giants kept the tempo high:In La Liga, Real Madrid edged a gritty 2–1 win with Jude Bellingham once again on the scoresheet, arriving late in the box like it’s his personal trademark. Over in Ligue 1, Kylian Mbappé bagged a brace for PSG – a penalty and a blistering counter-attack finish – reminding everyone why he’s always in the top scorers today conversation.
Champions League news is already bubbling too, with pundits lining up to ask: if this is the level Liverpool and City are hitting domestically, what kind of chaos are we about to see when the knockout rounds kick off?
Social Media Spotlight: VAR rage and Anfield noise
Right now, social media is absolutely melting down over that late VAR decision and Szoboszlai’s winner. The official match hashtag #LIVMCI is flooded with clips, screenshots, and slow-motion breakdowns of whether the ball hit Núñez’s arm in the build-up.Here’s your shortcut to the best of the chaos:
The Internet is Exploding: 3 Social Media Highlights
X Discussion: Fans furious over the late VAR handball check and Szoboszlai's deflected winner
You’ll see everything from raw phone clips from the Kop to freeze-frames of Núñez’s arm angle to City fans asking what on earth VAR is actually for anymore.
Reporter's take: this felt like a statement win
From a young reporter’s seat, this didn’t just feel like a big win – it felt like a flat-out statement. In my opinion, City lost their nerve once Liverpool cranked up the intensity, and that’s something we’re just not used to seeing from Guardiola’s machine. The substitutions came late, the midfield lost its grip, and Haaland looked way too quiet for a player built for nights like this.On the flip side, this was peak Anfield. Salah stepping up in the crunch, Díaz fearless on the ball, Szoboszlai refusing to hide, and the crowd dragging every last drop of energy out of them. You don’t win titles in January, but you absolutely can send a message – and Liverpool just blasted one across the league.
What's next?
The next round of fixtures is going to be nasty for anyone dropping points. With the table this tight, every draw feels like a defeat. City have to respond fast, Liverpool need to prove this wasn’t just a one-off emotional high, and the rest of the top four smell blood.If you’re tracking football results today, keep one eye on the scores and the other on how the big stars react. Does Haaland come storming back next week with a hat-trick? Does Salah keep this killer form running deep into the Champions League?
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