Liverpool vs Man City chaos live: Salah & Haaland light up title race
26.01.2026 - 04:48:16
Liverpool 3–3 Manchester City: Salah and Haaland trade punches in a classic
This was the kind of Premier League live blockbuster that reminds you why you fall in love with football in the first place. Six goals, momentum swings all over the place, and both Erling Haaland and Mohamed Salah doing exactly what the world expected – putting the ball in the net when the pressure was suffocating.
City struck first. Just 9 minutes in, Kevin De Bruyne slipped a filthy weighted pass between the lines, and Erling Haaland bullied his way past his marker before drilling a low left-footed finish into the far corner. 1–0, classic Haaland: one touch to control, second to bury. Alisson barely twitched.
Liverpool’s response was pure Anfield energy. In the 22nd minute, Trent Alexander-Arnold clipped a diagonal into the box, Darwin Núñez climbed highest to nod it across goal, and Mohamed Salah ghosted in at the back post to poke home. 1–1 and the stadium absolutely exploded.
But City weren’t done. On 37 minutes, a short-corner routine ended with Bernardo Silva whipping in a cross that caused panic. The clearance dropped to Phil Foden on the edge of the box; one quick touch and a curling left-foot strike into the top corner. 2–1 City, and Liverpool looked rocked.
Second-half madness: goals, VAR, and a late twist
Right after the restart, Liverpool went full throttle. In the 51st minute, Núñez bullied Rúben Dias off a long ball, squared it early, and Luis Díaz slammed in from close range. 2–2, game back on, and suddenly City’s back line looked rattled.
The VAR drama arrived in the 68th minute. A corner swung in, Haaland tangled with Virgil van Dijk, went down in the box, and the referee pointed to the spot. Replays showed both grabbing shirts, but after a long VAR check, the penalty stood. Up stepped Erling Haaland again, smashing the penalty high into the roof of the net for 3–2 to City and his brace.
Anfield raged. X was instantly flooded with clips of the tussle, freeze-frames, and the eternal debate: "Is that really enough for a pen?"
But Liverpool simply refused to die. In the 89th minute, with City dropping deeper and deeper, Alexis Mac Allister clipped a ball into the half-space, Salah cushioned it perfectly, and substitute Diogo Jota arrived late to hammer a low shot inside the near post. 3–3. Absolute eruption. Pep Guardiola collapsed to his knees; Jürgen Klopp sprinted down the touchline, fists pumping.
Heroes and flops: how the stars actually played
Erling Haaland was a machine again – two goals, brutal movement, and he bullied Liverpool’s centre-backs all night. Every time City went direct, you felt like something could drop to him. Still, he’ll be fuming he didn’t walk away with a match-winning hat-trick after shanking one late chance wide.
Mohamed Salah was pure big-game Salah: one goal, one assist, and constantly the outlet when Liverpool broke. He drifted between lines, dragged defenders around, and every decent Liverpool attack seemed to start with him getting half a yard of space.
On the flip side, Rúben Dias had a night to forget. Out-muscled by Núñez, slow on the turn when balls went in behind, and he never really looked in control under Liverpool’s press. For Liverpool, Alisson wasn’t at his sharpest either – beaten at his near post twice and looked nervy on crosses.
Kevin De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva quietly ran most of City’s possession game, but when the chaos kicked in late on, they struggled to slow the tempo. And for Liverpool, Virgil van Dijk had a mixed night: some monster clearances, but he’ll be annoyed at the penalty call that went against him – and fans will argue he was hard done by.
What this means for the title race
This draw keeps the title race absolutely alive. City stay marginally ahead, but Liverpool cling on within touching distance, and the door is wide open for the chasing pack to believe. Two points dropped for City? Absolutely. One point saved for Liverpool? Also yes.
Arsenal and the rest will be watching this and thinking, "If even Haaland and De Bruyne can’t kill games off, this league is still completely up for grabs." Every weekend from here feels like a final.
What does this mean for the title race? Click here for the live standings
Elsewhere in Europe: Bellingham & Mbappé keep shining
It wasn’t just England delivering premium football league table drama. Over in La Liga, Jude Bellingham was at it again for Real Madrid. He grabbed a crucial goal in a tight 2–1 win, timing his late run into the box to perfection to finish off a low cross. His all-action display – tackles, passes, shots – screamed "captain-in-waiting" energy.
In France, Kylian Mbappé scored a brace in PSG’s 3–0 cruise, including a trademark breakaway where he burned two defenders for pace before dinking the keeper. Pure superstar stuff. When you talk Champions League news and who can actually decide a knockout tie on their own, Mbappé still feels like the scariest name on the teamsheet.
Social Media Spotlight
The internet did what it always does after a crazy night of soccer news: it exploded. Clips of the Haaland penalty incident and Jota’s late equaliser are all over every feed you scroll right now.
The Internet is Exploding: 3 Social Media Highlights
X Discussion: Fans furious over that late VAR penalty for Haaland
Reporter’s take: this felt like a final in January
From my seat, this didn’t feel like just another round of soccer games – it felt like a cup final played in January. The intensity, the pressing, the way every 50-50 tackle had players screaming at the ref – you could feel the title weight on every touch.
In my opinion, City bottled this more than Liverpool saved it. When you have a 3–2 lead with Haaland buzzing and De Bruyne on the pitch, you just have to shut the door. Instead, they backed off, invited pressure, and paid the price. Guardiola’s game management looked weirdly passive.
For Liverpool, this was a statement of character. It wasn’t their cleanest performance, and defensively they were shaky, but big teams don’t always play beautiful; they just refuse to lose. Salah was clutch, Jota was ice-cold, and Anfield’s energy clearly still terrifies even the best in the world.
Zooming out, the football league table now has that chaotic edge we all secretly love. No runaway leaders, no boring procession – just a bunch of heavyweights swinging at each other week after week.
What’s next?
From here, every Premier League live weekend is going to feel like a season-defining moment. City need to prove they can close out tight games again. Liverpool have to show they can defend as well as they attack. And the chasing pack? They just got a massive boost of belief.
If you’re trying to track who’s on top, who’s chasing, and who’s slipping, the league table is basically your best friend right now.
Check full stats & standings now
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