Liverpool v Man City goes wild: Salah, Haaland & late drama light up live action
07.02.2026 - 15:41:25
Liverpool 3-2 Manchester City – Salah vs Haaland, and then pure chaos
This felt like a Champions League night disguised as a league game. The tempo, the noise, the quality – unreal. City drew first blood: after just 15 minutes, Erling Haaland did what Erling Haaland does. Kevin De Bruyne slid a pass between the lines, Haaland rolled Ibrahima Konaté and drilled a low right?footed finish into the bottom corner. 1-0 City, and Anfield went quiet for about three seconds.
Liverpool punched straight back. On 28 minutes, Darwin Núñez bullied Rúben Dias to win a long ball, laid it off to Mohamed Salah, and Salah curled a left?footed beauty from the edge of the box past Ederson. That’s Salah’s trademark – one shuffle, one whip, and suddenly it’s 1-1 and Anfield is back in full roar.
Then came the first big flashpoint: just before half-time, Haaland bulldozed into the box again, went down under a tangle with Virgil van Dijk, and City screamed for a penalty. VAR checked it for what felt like forever, but the contact was judged shoulder-to-shoulder. No spot?kick, Haaland fuming, Pep Guardiola on the touchline losing his mind. That decision set social media on fire instantly.
Second-half rollercoaster: worldies, brainfades and a ruthless finish
Right after the break, City thought they’d taken control. In the 52nd minute, Phil Foden produced pure filth: Jack Grealish cut in from the left, slipped the ball central, and Foden smashed a first-time left?footed rocket into the top corner from 20 yards. 2-1 City, absolute screamer.
But Liverpool refused to fold. Jürgen Klopp unleashed the press, and City started wobbling. On 68 minutes, Alexis Mac Allister floated a delicious diagonal ball, Núñez peeled off to the back post and nodded it across goal, where Diogo Jota arrived to stab home from close range. 2-2, and suddenly the champions looked rattled.
The winner? Wild. Minute 88, City trying to play out from the back, and Rodri got lazy on the ball. Harvey Elliott nicked it, Salah pounced, drove into the box and squared it across the face of goal. Núñez dummied, Ederson was stranded, and substitute Cody Gakpo slid in at the far post to make it 3-2. Anfield exploded. Gakpo into the crowd, Klopp fist?pumping down the touchline – proper last?minute mayhem.
Heroes & flops: how the stars actually played
- Mohamed Salah – Hero. One goal, one assist, constant menace. He pulled City’s back line all over the place and looked like the most dangerous player on the pitch whenever he got a yard of space.
- Erling Haaland – Mixed bag. Took his goal ruthlessly and bullied Liverpool’s centre-backs early on, but faded after the break and got increasingly frustrated by Van Dijk’s physicality and the VAR penalty call.
- Kevin De Bruyne – Classy but not decisive. Lovely assist for Haaland, yet Liverpool’s midfield hustle stopped him from fully taking over the game.
- Virgil van Dijk – Rock at the back after a shaky first 20. Survived that VAR scare and then basically body?checked Haaland out of the game aerially.
- Darwin Núñez – Absolute chaos agent in the best way. No goal, but involved in two of Liverpool’s three with clever runs and physical duels.
Title race shockwaves – where does this leave the table?
This single result completely reshapes the narrative. Liverpool snatch three points at home, City drop crucial ones on the road, and suddenly the top of the Premier League looks way more open than it did this morning. Those football results today are exactly the kind managers dread in a title chase: the kind you remember in May.
City’s defensive wobble under pressure, combined with Salah turning into big?game Salah again, means the momentum swings red. Any team chasing from behind will be licking their lips, because the champions just looked human for once.
What does this mean for the title race? Click here for the live standings
Elsewhere in Europe – quickfire round-up
Across the continent, the Champions League news angle is all about form and momentum. In Spain, Jude Bellingham kept his insane scoring touch alive for Real Madrid, grabbing a late winner in a tight 2-1 victory. He ghosted into the box in the 84th minute to nod home a cross – another clutch moment from a guy who’s making it look normal.
In France, Kylian Mbappé did Kylian Mbappé things again, bagging a brace in PSG’s 3-0 stroll. One was a penalty, the other a ridiculous solo run from halfway, burning two defenders before slotting past the keeper. In that one, Mbappé was pure hero mode, and anyone worrying about his form before the Champions League knockouts can relax.
All these football results today connect straight to one theme: the big names are heating up right when the season is about to go nuclear.
The Internet is Exploding: 3 Social Media Highlights
X Discussion: Fans raging and debating that late VAR non-penalty on Haaland
My take: this felt like a statement game
From a reporter’s seat, this didn’t just feel like another big match – it felt like a statement. In my opinion, City got a bit too comfortable trying to play their usual chilled build-up under maximum Anfield chaos, and they paid for it. When Rodri is getting caught on the ball and Ederson is screaming at his back line, you know the pressure has actually landed.
Liverpool, on the other hand, looked like a team that absolutely believes they can go all the way. Salah turning up in the clutch, the subs making a difference, the crowd dragging them through – that’s title-winning energy. And if City keep dropping points in these knife?edge games, Pep is going to have some brutal questions to answer about rotation and game management.
For the neutral? Absolute dream. Goals from Haaland, Salah, Foden and Gakpo in one night, with a dash of VAR scandal on top – this is exactly why we love this sport.
Final whistle: don’t just read it, track it
The story of today is simple: Liverpool land a huge punch on Manchester City, the title race catches fire, and all the other big hitters in Europe are watching and taking notes. The football league table is going to look very different after this round, and you can feel the tension rising already.
If you’re into football results today, don’t just stop at the scoreline. The live table is where the panic, hope and dreams all collide.
Check full stats & standings now
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