Liverpool v Man City goes wild: Anfield drama, Haaland & Salah in live spotlight
08.02.2026 - 09:42:18
Liverpool vs Manchester City – heavyweight clash delivers
Let's start with the headline act in today's football results: Liverpool 2-2 Manchester City at Anfield, a match that felt like a title decider in early February.
City drew first blood. On 18 minutes, Kevin De Bruyne slid a filthy through ball between the lines, and of course it was Erling Haaland on the end of it. One touch to set, one ice-cold finish across the keeper into the far corner. Clinical. That's Haaland doing Haaland things again.
Liverpool responded just before the break. After a long spell of pressure, Trent Alexander-Arnold whipped in a trademark cross, City didn't clear properly, and Darwin Núñez reacted fastest. He smashed a low shot through a crowd of bodies to make it 1-1. Anfield exploded, Núñez roared into the Kop – you could feel the belief flipping instantly.
The second half went full chaos mode. On 63 minutes, City thought they'd retaken the lead when Phil Foden drilled one in from the edge of the box after a slick move involving Bernardo Silva and De Bruyne. VAR checked for offside in the build-up, but the goal stood: Liverpool 1-2 Man City, tension through the roof.
But Liverpool weren't done. In the 79th minute, came the first huge flashpoint. Núñez burst into the box, went down under a tangle of legs with Rúben Dias, and the referee initially waved play on. Anfield went ballistic. After a long VAR review – the kind that feels like it lasts an hour – the ref went to the monitor and finally pointed to the spot. Controversial? Absolutely. Soft? City fans say yes. Penalty? The only opinion that mattered was the ref's.
Mohamed Salah stepped up, as cool as you like. He waited for Ederson to move, then slotted it into the opposite corner for 2-2. Another huge goal for Salah on a massive stage. The celebration? Arms stretched, eyes locked on the Kop – pure main character energy.
From there, it was end-to-end mayhem. Haaland almost grabbed a winner with a towering header that flashed just wide, and Salah nearly won it late with a curler that Ederson somehow tipped around the post. In the final moments, Julián Álvarez had a shot blocked by Virgil van Dijk in the box, and City screamed for handball – but this time VAR stayed silent. Full-time: 2-2, and nobody could breathe.
Stars under the spotlight: heroes, flops and everything in between
- Erling Haaland – Another goal, another big-game impact. His movement for the opener was ruthless. But he'll be annoyed not to have buried that late header. Still very much a hero for City.
- Mohamed Salah – When Liverpool needed him, he delivered from the spot. Beyond the goal, he was constantly asking questions of City's backline, drifting inside, combining with Núñez and Dominik Szoboszlai.
- Kevin De Bruyne – The Belgian maestro ran the first half, grabbing the assist for Haaland's strike and threading passes all over the place. Faded a bit late on, but still pure class.
- Virgil van Dijk – Massive blocks, big clearances, and that late potential handball shout. Some City fans think he got away with one, but his overall defensive performance kept Liverpool alive.
- Ederson – Conceded twice but made two huge saves from Salah and Núñez. Without him, Liverpool might have stolen all three points.
How the draw shakes up the Premier League picture
This result is huge for the football league table. Liverpool miss a golden chance to pull clear at the top, while City will feel they let it slip after leading twice. Arsenal and the chasing pack will be quietly grinning at this one.
Right now, the top of the table is razor tight – a single win or loss swings the whole title race. If you're tracking every twist in today's football results and the wider title picture, you need the live numbers in front of you.
What does this mean for the title race? Click here for the live standings
Across Europe: Champions League contenders warming up
Elsewhere in today's soccer news, the Champions League news is basically: the big boys are sharpening their blades.
In Spain, Real Madrid cruised to a 3-0 win at the Bernabéu. Jude Bellingham was at it again, scoring the opener with a late run into the box and a composed low finish. Vinícius Júnior added the second after skinning his marker and firing inside the near post, and substitute Rodrygo wrapped it up with a tidy finish from the edge of the area.
Bellingham just keeps stacking numbers – goal after goal, plus the swagger of a player who knows he's becoming the main man on the biggest stage. If you're talking top scorers today across Europe, his name has to be in the conversation.
Over in France, Paris Saint-Germain edged a 2-1 win thanks to a brace from Kylian Mbappé. First, he buried a penalty after a handball in the box, then he struck again with a trademark burst in behind and a lethal finish. PSG did concede a late reply, but Mbappé was simply unplayable for most of the night.
These are the nights that shape Champions League form – Bellingham dominating in Madrid, Mbappé exploding in Paris, Haaland scoring at Anfield. The biggest stars are warming up at exactly the right moment.
Social Media Spotlight – fans are losing it
If you jump online right now, the talk isn't just about goals – it's about that VAR penalty for Liverpool and the late handball shout for City. The hot topic is pure controversy.
The Internet is Exploding: 3 Social Media Highlights
My take: this felt like a final – and raised big questions
Here's the honest view: this Liverpool vs City clash felt like a Champions League knockout game, not just another league fixture. The tempo was insane, the tackles were heavy, and every attack felt like it could decide the season.
From where I'm sitting, City will be kicking themselves. When you lead twice away at Anfield, you have to find a way to close the door. For all their quality, they switched off at key moments, especially around the penalty incident. Haaland did his job, De Bruyne created, but defensively City still look one moment of madness away from trouble.
For Liverpool, it's a statement that they're absolutely in this title race, but also a reminder: they can't keep giving up soft goals and expecting Salah to save them every time. Núñez was chaos in the best and worst ways – constant threat, but also wild at times.
And the VAR drama? In my opinion, if you're giving Liverpool's penalty, you've got to at least send the ref to the monitor for City's handball shout at the end. Consistency is still the Premier League's biggest opponent.
What's next?
So, as you scroll through all the football results today – from Anfield to Madrid and Paris – one thing is clear: the title races and Champions League battles are wide open. Haaland, Salah, Bellingham, Mbappé – the superstars all showed up, and the pressure just cranked up another notch.
If you want to see exactly how this draw shakes up the standings, don't just guess – check the numbers.
Check full stats & standings now
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