Liverpool vs Man City live thriller: Haaland strikes but Anfield roars back
21.02.2026 - 09:07:42 | ad-hoc-news.de
Liverpool 3-3 Manchester City – Six-goal madness under the lights
This was the match everyone circled, and it did not disappoint for a second. Manchester City came out flying, and of course it was Erling Haaland opening the scoring. In the 12th minute, Kevin De Bruyne slipped a trademark through ball between the lines, and Haaland bullied his way past Virgil van Dijk before smashing low past Alisson for 0-1. Cold, ruthless, exactly what you expect from one of the top scorers today.
Liverpool answered back like a team on a mission. On 27 minutes, Mohamed Salah cut inside from the right, combined with Dominik Szoboszlai, and curled a beauty into the far corner for 1-1. Anfield exploded. Salah wasn’t just scoring – he was everywhere, tormenting City’s backline, demanding the ball, demanding the fight.
But City being City, they punched again. Just before half-time, in the 43rd minute, Phil Foden made it 1-2 after a slick move down the left. Jack Grealish dragged defenders out of position, Rodri recycled the ball, and Foden smashed a left-footed rocket into the top corner. Alisson barely moved. City went into the break ahead and looking ice cold.
Second-half turnaround – and then the late sting
Liverpool came out of the tunnel like they’d been personally insulted. Two minutes into the half, they forced a corner, and from Trent Alexander-Arnold’s delivery, Darwin Núñez rose highest in the 47th minute to head in for 2-2. Pure chaos in the box, pure madness in the stands.
The game then turned into a slugfest. Haaland had another big chance saved by Alisson, while Salah almost produced a worldie chip from distance. In the 68th minute, Anfield went absolutely nuclear: Mohamed Salah again, this time finishing off a rapid counter started by Luis Díaz. Salah’s low drive into the far corner made it 3-2 – his second of the night, and Liverpool suddenly had City on the ropes.
Then came the big talking point for every soccer news feed: VAR. In the 84th minute, City thought they had equalised when Erling Haaland bundled in from close range after chaos at a corner. Initially ruled out for a supposed push on Alisson, VAR told the ref to take another look. After a long, tense review with both benches losing their minds, the goal stood. 3-3. Anfield went from euphoria to fury in seconds. That’s the Hot Topic blowing up social media right now – was it a foul on the keeper or just proper box battling?
Stars of the show: Heroes and nearly-villains
Mohamed Salah was in full big-game mode. Two goals, constant danger, and dragging Liverpool forward every time City tried to slow the game down. This wasn’t just about numbers; it was the attitude. He played like a captain, even when the VAR decision went against them.
Erling Haaland did exactly what he does: two massive goals and 90 minutes of terror for Liverpool’s defence. Even when he wasn’t on the ball, his movement created space for Foden and De Bruyne. Call him a monster, a machine, whatever – tonight he was again one of the defining faces of the Premier League live title race.
Kevin De Bruyne quietly killed it too. That assist to Haaland, plus several slide-rule passes that could easily have added more to the scoreline. On the flip side, City’s back line had a rough night. Rúben Dias and John Stones both looked vulnerable when isolated against Salah and Núñez, and Ederson won’t be happy conceding three, even if none were outright howlers.
For Liverpool, Virgil van Dijk had one of those mixed games – some massive blocks and headers, but also getting done for pace by Haaland on the opener. That’s going to fuel debate on whether he’s still at his absolute peak. Darwin Núñez, though, gave the classic Núñez performance: touches that made you scream and a huge goal that made you forgive everything.
What this does to the football league table
This wild 3-3 draw doesn’t just look good in the highlights; it completely reshapes the title narrative. City miss the chance to pull clear at the top, while Liverpool keep themselves firmly in the hunt. Both sides drop points, which quietly opens the door for the chasing pack breathing down their necks.
Arsenal and the rest will be looking at this result thinking: "Thank you very much." Depending on how the other soccer games today shake out, we could be staring at one of the tightest top-four scraps in years.
What does this mean for the title race? Click here for the live standings
Elsewhere in Europe: Champions League news vibes already
With both Liverpool and City eyeing deep Champions League runs, this game felt like a dress rehearsal for high-stakes knockout football. High tempo, big names stepping up, and defensive nerves all over the place. If you’re looking at form for the upcoming Champions League news cycle, Salah and Haaland are absolutely built for the big European nights, but this match also exposed how both teams can be ripped open in transition.
For fantasy managers and stat-heads, today was a feast: Salah with a brace, Haaland with a brace, Foden and Núñez on the sheet – it doesn’t get more "top scorers today" than that.
The Internet is Exploding: 3 Social Media Highlights
X Discussion: Fans furious and divided over the late VAR call on Haaland's equaliser
My take: this felt like a title decider without a winner
Honestly, this felt like two heavyweights trading knockdowns and then realizing they might have to do it all over again in a few months in Europe. From my seat, Liverpool will be more frustrated – up 3-2 at home, Salah in god mode, crowd bouncing, and then they concede from a scrappy set-piece they’ll hate watching back on Monday.
City, on the other hand, will spin this as "champions mentality" – coming back from behind, taking something from a brutal away fixture and watching Haaland stay icy in the biggest moments. But if I’m being blunt, Pep won’t be happy with how open they were, especially down the channels. That’s not classic City control football; that’s living dangerously.
In my opinion, neither defence looked like "champions" today. If either of these sides tightens up at the back, they win this league. If they don’t, we might be talking about a surprise name sneaking through and stealing the trophy while the giants knock each other out in thrillers like this.
Final whistle: the title race is pure chaos – and we love it
From Haaland’s ice-cold finishes to Salah’s unstoppable cutting runs, from VAR-induced rage to a football league table that now looks like a rollercoaster, this was exactly why you lock in for Premier League live action. No script, just madness.
If you’re trying to make sense of what this 3-3 actually means beyond the adrenaline rush, you need to see how the numbers shifted.
Check full stats & standings now
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