Liverpool vs Man City live thriller: Haaland strikes but Salah steals the show
09.02.2026 - 08:34:59
Kick-off! As of today, 2026-02-09, the pitch is on fire... You wanted crazy soccer games? You got them. Anfield just served up a Premier League live epic as Liverpool beat Manchester City 3-2 in a breathless, season-defining showdown that had goals, chaos, and pure drama from first whistle to last.
From Erling Haaland bullying centre-backs to Mohamed Salah doing Mohamed Salah things, this was the kind of night that reminds you exactly why you’re addicted to this sport.
City drew first blood. On 18 minutes, Erling Haaland did exactly what you’d expect: one touch to pin his marker, one touch to kill the pass from Kevin De Bruyne, then a ruthless low finish across the keeper into the far corner. 1-0 City, and Haaland looked in full cyborg mode again.
But Liverpool did what Liverpool do at Anfield – they swarmed. The press went up a notch, the crowd went up ten, and you could feel City starting to creak. On 32 minutes, it cracked. Trent Alexander-Arnold whipped in a trademark diagonal to the back post, Darwin Núñez attacked it like a madman and buried a thumping header for 1-1. No chance for Ederson, pure chaos energy from Núñez.
Just before half-time, the game flipped. City overplayed in their own half, Alexis Mac Allister nicked the ball, slid it straight into Mohamed Salah, and you already knew what was coming. Salah chopped inside, sat Nathan Aké down, and curled a beauty into the far corner for 2-1 Liverpool on 44 minutes. Anfield exploded. Salah, again the big-game monster.
Then came the moment everyone’s arguing about online. On 74 minutes, Liverpool thought they had a penalty when Núñez went down under a challenge from Rúben Dias. The referee pointed to the spot, the stadium went wild… and then VAR stepped in. After a long check, the decision was overturned – tiny contact, exaggerated fall, no penalty. The place absolutely erupted with fury, and that VAR call is the hot topic blowing up social feeds right now.
But the last word belonged to Salah. On 86 minutes, City switched off for half a second and paid full price. Substitute Diogo Jota slid a clever ball between the lines, Salah ghosted in from the right, and with his weaker right foot just passed it into the far corner. Ice-cold. 3-2 Liverpool. Anfield shaking. Klopp (and every Liverpool fan) losing their minds on the touchline.
Haaland still walked off with two goals and a classic bully-boy centre-forward display, but tonight he was upstaged by Salah’s clutch gene. De Bruyne was pure class in flashes, but City’s back line looked way too open against Liverpool’s front line. On the flip side, Núñez was chaos incarnate – one goal, one big missed chance, constant running, total nightmare to defend.
Liverpool’s three points tighten things at the top, City’s goal difference takes a slight dent, and the pressure on Pep’s side in their next fixture just cranked way up. The margins are razor-thin, and one bad week could flip everything.
Over in Europe, Champions League news also bubbled up in the background, with fans already dreaming about how tonight’s heroes will carry this form into midweek: Haaland chasing more records, Salah looking like a man on a mission, and young stars like Saka ready to light up the biggest stage again.
City, on the other hand, were weirdly soft without the ball. You expect them to control matches, but they got dragged into a basketball game and didn’t always look comfortable. Haaland did his job in front of goal, De Bruyne delivered his usual magic, but defensively they were too exposed and the full-backs had a rough night dealing with Liverpool’s wide runners.
From a neutral’s perspective? Dream match. From a City fan’s perspective? Nerves. From a Liverpool fan’s perspective? That’s the kind of night you remember for years.
Want to see exactly how much this result shook up the table and who’s breathing down whose neck in the race for Europe and survival? Don’t just guess – check it in real time.
From Erling Haaland bullying centre-backs to Mohamed Salah doing Mohamed Salah things, this was the kind of night that reminds you exactly why you’re addicted to this sport.
Liverpool 3-2 Manchester City – Title race turns into a street fight
Anfield under the lights, the league leaders in town, the title race on a knife edge – this already felt huge before a ball was kicked. By the end, it felt absolutely massive.City drew first blood. On 18 minutes, Erling Haaland did exactly what you’d expect: one touch to pin his marker, one touch to kill the pass from Kevin De Bruyne, then a ruthless low finish across the keeper into the far corner. 1-0 City, and Haaland looked in full cyborg mode again.
But Liverpool did what Liverpool do at Anfield – they swarmed. The press went up a notch, the crowd went up ten, and you could feel City starting to creak. On 32 minutes, it cracked. Trent Alexander-Arnold whipped in a trademark diagonal to the back post, Darwin Núñez attacked it like a madman and buried a thumping header for 1-1. No chance for Ederson, pure chaos energy from Núñez.
Just before half-time, the game flipped. City overplayed in their own half, Alexis Mac Allister nicked the ball, slid it straight into Mohamed Salah, and you already knew what was coming. Salah chopped inside, sat Nathan Aké down, and curled a beauty into the far corner for 2-1 Liverpool on 44 minutes. Anfield exploded. Salah, again the big-game monster.
Second-half madness: De Bruyne magic, VAR fury, Salah’s killer touch
City weren’t done. On 63 minutes, Kevin De Bruyne reminded everyone he’s still the pass merchant supreme. He drifted into that right half-space, glanced up once, and dropped a disgusting, curling cross right onto Haaland’s head. Bullet header, 2-2, and suddenly it felt like City had grabbed control back.Then came the moment everyone’s arguing about online. On 74 minutes, Liverpool thought they had a penalty when Núñez went down under a challenge from Rúben Dias. The referee pointed to the spot, the stadium went wild… and then VAR stepped in. After a long check, the decision was overturned – tiny contact, exaggerated fall, no penalty. The place absolutely erupted with fury, and that VAR call is the hot topic blowing up social feeds right now.
But the last word belonged to Salah. On 86 minutes, City switched off for half a second and paid full price. Substitute Diogo Jota slid a clever ball between the lines, Salah ghosted in from the right, and with his weaker right foot just passed it into the far corner. Ice-cold. 3-2 Liverpool. Anfield shaking. Klopp (and every Liverpool fan) losing their minds on the touchline.
Haaland still walked off with two goals and a classic bully-boy centre-forward display, but tonight he was upstaged by Salah’s clutch gene. De Bruyne was pure class in flashes, but City’s back line looked way too open against Liverpool’s front line. On the flip side, Núñez was chaos incarnate – one goal, one big missed chance, constant running, total nightmare to defend.
What this does to the football league table
With that win, Liverpool don’t just stay in the title race – they punch it straight in the jaw. City drop crucial points again away from home, and suddenly the whole top of the table feels wide open. Arsenal and the chasing pack will be watching this like hawks, because every slip matters now.Liverpool’s three points tighten things at the top, City’s goal difference takes a slight dent, and the pressure on Pep’s side in their next fixture just cranked way up. The margins are razor-thin, and one bad week could flip everything.
What does this mean for the title race? Click here for the live standings
A quick spin around today’s other soccer games
Elsewhere in the Premier League live slate, we had more drama. In London, Arsenal ground out a 2-1 home win, with Bukayo Saka on the scoresheet again – calm penalty, top corner – and Martin Ødegaard curling in a low drive from the edge of the box. Their opponents nicked one back late through a scrappy tap-in, but Arsenal held on and Saka once again looked like the guy you trust when the pressure hits.Over in Europe, Champions League news also bubbled up in the background, with fans already dreaming about how tonight’s heroes will carry this form into midweek: Haaland chasing more records, Salah looking like a man on a mission, and young stars like Saka ready to light up the biggest stage again.
Social Media Spotlight
The internet basically melted the second that late Salah winner hit the net and the VAR call got overturned. Clips are flying around, fan cams are everywhere, and the debate over whether that Núñez incident was a stonewall pen or a total dive is going off.The Internet is Exploding: 3 Social Media Highlights
Reporter’s take: this felt like a statement night
In my opinion, this wasn’t just another big game – it was a message. Liverpool looked like a side that absolutely refuses to step aside in this title race. Salah was pure world class: two huge goals, constant threat, and that killer instinct in the crunch moments. If he keeps playing like this, he’s right back in the conversation for the absolute best in the world, no debate.City, on the other hand, were weirdly soft without the ball. You expect them to control matches, but they got dragged into a basketball game and didn’t always look comfortable. Haaland did his job in front of goal, De Bruyne delivered his usual magic, but defensively they were too exposed and the full-backs had a rough night dealing with Liverpool’s wide runners.
From a neutral’s perspective? Dream match. From a City fan’s perspective? Nerves. From a Liverpool fan’s perspective? That’s the kind of night you remember for years.
Closing whistle: more drama to come
If tonight is a preview of how the run-in is going to look, buckle up. The top scorers today reminded everyone that the stars decide seasons – Haaland scoring twice and still walking off a loser says everything you need to know about how wild this league is right now.Want to see exactly how much this result shook up the table and who’s breathing down whose neck in the race for Europe and survival? Don’t just guess – check it in real time.
Check full stats & standings now
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