Liverpool vs Man City live thriller: Haaland struck but Anfield exploded late

Liverpool and Man City traded blows in a wild live showdown as Haaland scored again, but a late Liverpool surge and VAR drama flipped the mood at Anfield.

Kick-off! As of today, 2026-02-04, the pitch is on fire... Did you catch that Liverpool vs Manchester City showdown at Anfield? If you love intense soccer games, this one was pure chaos in the best way possible. Goals, controversy, superstar swings in form – everything. Erling Haaland did his thing, Mohamed Salah answered back, and the title race just got a serious jolt.

Liverpool 2–2 Manchester City: Heavyweights trading haymakers

This was billed as the game that could tilt the Premier League title race, and it absolutely felt like it. City drew first blood: in the 19th minute, Erling Haaland peeled off his marker, took a clever pass from Kevin De Bruyne, and buried a low left-footed finish into the bottom corner. Classic Haaland – one chance, one goal, Anfield stunned.

Liverpool refused to fold. Just before half-time, Anfield erupted when Mohamed Salah picked up the ball wide right, cut inside onto his left, and slid a pass into the path of Darwin Núñez. The Uruguayan hammered it first time past Ederson for 1–1. The crowd went absolutely wild – you could almost feel the noise through your screen.

Early in the second half, City looked like they had grabbed control again. In the 57th minute, a slick move saw Phil Foden link up with Bernardo Silva, and the ball eventually broke back to Foden on the edge of the box. One touch, curled strike into the far corner: 2–1 City. Alisson had no chance, and Pep Guardiola was going berserk on the touchline.

But this is Anfield, and this title race is way too wild to be settled calmly. Liverpool pushed City deeper and deeper, and the game turned into waves of red attacks. Salah, honestly, had a mixed night – he got the assist earlier, but he also dragged a big chance wide on 72 minutes when he was one-on-one. For a player of his level, that’s one he'll replay in his head.

Late drama, VAR chaos, and a clutch equaliser

The biggest talking point? Easily the 81st-minute VAR incident. Liverpool thought they had a penalty when Núñez went down under a challenge from Rúben Dias. The referee initially waved it away, then got called to the monitor. Social media went insane. After a long review, the penalty was given, with VAR ruling that Dias clipped Núñez's leg just inside the box.

Anfield held its breath as Mohamed Salah stepped up. Pressure moment, title race on the line – and he delivered. Salah smashed the penalty high into the net for 2–2 in the 84th minute. The roar from the Kop was ridiculous. Ederson guessed right but couldn't get near it.

From there, it was pure end-to-end madness. Haaland almost stole it in stoppage time with a towering header that flew just wide. On the other side, Dominik Szoboszlai forced a huge save from Ederson with a long-range rocket. In the end, it finished all square, but it felt like both teams had been through a war.

Heroes and flops: How the stars really played

• Erling Haaland (Man City) – Goal machine stays a goal machine. One big chance, one ruthless finish. But he faded late on as Liverpool's press got tighter and service dried up. Still, he keeps padding those top scorers today stats.
• Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) – Not perfect, but decisive. One assist, one ice-cold penalty. Missed a massive chance at 1–2, yet he still dragged Liverpool back into it. Big players show up when it matters.
• Kevin De Bruyne (Man City) – Vintage creativity in patches, including the assist for Haaland. But as the game stretched, he started losing control in midfield and gave the ball away a couple of times under pressure.
• Darwin Núñez (Liverpool) – Chaos factor. Scored one, won the penalty for the second, constantly bullied City's back line. Not always tidy, but brutally effective.

Overall, this match had everything that makes soccer games addictive: superstar clashes, tactical swings, and that constant feeling that anything could happen next.

What it means for the Premier League live title race

This draw keeps the top of the football league table insanely tight. City miss a golden chance to pull away, and Liverpool prove they're absolutely still in the fight. Arsenal and the chasing pack will be watching this with huge smiles.

Liverpool stay right on City's heels instead of drifting away, and the goal difference race will be massive going forward with players like Haaland and Salah still smashing them in. Every single result now feels like a mini final.

What does this mean for the title race? Click here for the live standings

Champions League & wider soccer news vibes

From a Champions League news angle, this game also sends a message. Both these sides look scary going into Europe – City with Haaland still ruthless, Liverpool with that insane Anfield energy and pressing. Managers will not want to visit either of them in midweek UCL nights.

Across Europe, other big names kept rolling. Kylian Mbappé scored again for PSG in Ligue 1, and Jude Bellingham pulled the strings for Real Madrid in La Liga with another classy display – though tonight, the spotlight belongs firmly to the Premier League and this Anfield epic.

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My take: this felt like a title decider in everything but name

From a young reporter's point of view – this was one of those football nights you remember. In my opinion, City will be slightly more frustrated. They were 2–1 up, Haaland had already done the damage, and they let the game turn chaotic instead of killing it off. Guardiola might seriously question some of the late-game game management.

For Liverpool, this was the kind of performance that keeps belief sky-high. Salah didn't have his sharpest 90 minutes but still left with a goal and an assist. Núñez, for all his wildness, basically forced City's defence into panic mode all night. If they can bring this intensity into the rest of their Premier League live fixtures, the title race is absolutely on.

The hot topic will be that VAR penalty for days, but strip that away and you still have an insane match report: Haaland scoring on a half-chance, Salah stepping up in the clutch, big names making big plays under pressure. That's exactly what you want from top-level soccer games.

Closing whistle: This race is nowhere near over

The vibe after this one? Nerves, adrenaline, and a sense that we're heading for a wild finish to the season. City look powerful but not untouchable. Liverpool look flawed but fearless. Arsenal and the rest are lurking, waiting for slips.

If you're trying to make sense of how tonight's draw reshapes everything – from top scorers to who's really favourite for the crown – you need to keep one eye glued to the table and the other on the upcoming fixtures.

Check full stats & standings now

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