Liverpool vs Man City live thriller: late twist shakes Premier League race
25.01.2026 - 22:41:29
Liverpool 3–2 Manchester City: Anfield turns into a madhouse
Did you see that?? From the first whistle, this felt like a Champions League night, even though it was league play. The press, the noise, the tackles – pure football adrenaline.
Manchester City actually drew first blood. In the 19th minute, Erling Haaland did exactly what Erling Haaland does: one touch to kill a fizzed pass from Kevin De Bruyne, second touch a ruthless low finish into the bottom corner. 1–0 City, Kop stunned. Haaland peeled away to the corner flag, arms wide, ice-cold.
Liverpool answered like a team refusing to let the title slip. On 32 minutes, Mohamed Salah dragged them level. Trent Alexander-Arnold whipped in a diagonal, Darwin Núñez nodded it down, and Salah smashed a left-foot volley across Ederson into the far corner. Absolute rocket. Anfield erupted, and suddenly every City touch was being booed.
Right before half-time, the game flipped again. City recycled a corner, De Bruyne found a pocket, clipped in a teasing ball, and Phil Foden ghosted in at the back post to poke home for 2–1. Liverpool's back line switched off for half a second, and City punished them instantly.
Second-half: Salah vs Haaland, but a new hero steps up
Second half was pure chaos. Salah and Haaland both had chances – Haaland forcing a big save from Alisson with a near-post thunderbolt, Salah curling just over after sitting Rúben Dias down inside the box. The famous names were everywhere, but it was the supporting cast who tilted the game.
On 64 minutes, Liverpool got their lifeline. Núñez spun in behind, collided with Dias, and after a long VAR check the ref pointed to the spot. X was exploding with slow-motion replays; half the world screaming "stonewall penalty", the other half "dive". Up stepped Salah, ice running through his veins. He drilled the penalty low to Ederson's left for 2–2 – his second of the night and another big chapter in his Premier League top scorers today showreel.
Haaland tried to answer. He bullied Ibrahima Konaté to win a header that clipped the bar, then had another effort ruled out for offside after a razor-thin VAR line. You could see the frustration creeping in – he scored, he celebrated, and then watched it get chalked off. That offside call is exactly what fans are going wild about online right now.
But the final word belonged to an unlikely hero. In the 88th minute, with City tiring, Liverpool pushed one last time. Alexis Mac Allister slid a pass wide to Trent, who drilled a low cross toward the penalty spot. Substitute Diogo Jota arrived perfectly, opening his body and side-footing first time into the top corner. 3–2 Liverpool. Anfield absolutely lost it – limbs everywhere, Klopp (of course) sprinting down the touchline.
Star power check: heroes and flops
- Mohamed Salah: Two goals, relentless movement, constant danger. His link-up with Núñez was sharp, and his composure on the penalty was elite. Fully in the "hero" column.
- Erling Haaland: One clinical finish, one disallowed goal, and a constant aerial threat. He did his job, but City didn't feed him enough. Not a flop, but he leaves Anfield furious.
- Kevin De Bruyne: Two huge contributions – the assist for Haaland and the cross that led to Foden's goal. Faded a bit late, but still City's brain.
- Trent Alexander-Arnold: A rollercoaster. Got caught out defensively for Foden's tap-in, but his passing unlocked City multiple times and he effectively created the equaliser and the winner with his deliveries.
- Alisson: Conceded two, but saved Liverpool with a massive one-on-one stop from Haaland that kept it at 2–2. Quietly clutch.
What this does to the Premier League table
This isn't just a wild match report – this result absolutely rocks the football league table. Liverpool's win shoves them back to the heart of the title race, leapfrogging City in the standings and tightening everything at the top. City, who looked like they might pull away, suddenly have zero margin for error.
What does this mean for the title race? Click here for the live standings
With other results around Europe – including more Champions League news shaping how squads rotate and rest – managers are now juggling league ambition with European dreams. This Liverpool win might force City to go harder in the league and take more risks in Europe, and that's where seasons get wild.
Social Media Spotlight: Anfield drama melts the timeline
As soon as the final whistle went, social media detonated. Everyone is talking about two things: the VAR decision on Dias vs Núñez for the penalty, and the disallowed Haaland goal. The hashtag is popping off with fans arguing whether City were robbed or Liverpool were just braver.
The Internet is Exploding: 3 Social Media Highlights
X Discussion: Fans raging over the VAR calls and Haaland's disallowed goal
My take: this felt like a statement, not just three points
Honestly, this didn't feel like just another entry in the long list of soccer games between these two giants. This was a message. In my opinion, Liverpool looked like the team that believed more – they ran harder in the last 20 minutes, they took more risks, and they smelled blood when City started to wobble.
City, for all their quality, looked strangely passive once it went 2–2. If you're a City fan, you're probably asking why Haaland wasn't fed earlier, why De Bruyne was left so isolated, and why they sat off instead of trying to kill the game. Pep is going to get some serious questions about the subs – especially taking off Foden when he was still a threat.
On the flip side, Jürgen Klopp nailed his changes. Jota coming on late and immediately attacking the box is exactly why you keep aggressive forwards on the bench. Absolute world-class impact performance off the bench, and exactly the kind of win that can flip a whole season.
What's next?
From here, every single matchday is going to feel like a cup final. With Liverpool back in the mix and City suddenly looking touchable, keep an eye on the next round of Premier League fixtures and those tight Champions League knockouts. Rotation, injuries, and form will decide everything.
If you're obsessing over who's top, who's chasing, and who's in danger, you need the live table open in another tab while you follow all today's soccer news.
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