Liverpool vs Man City live thriller: Salah, Haaland & late chaos rock title race

Liverpool edge Man City in a wild Anfield classic as Salah and Haaland trade blows before a dramatic late winner shakes up the Premier League title race.

Kick-off! As of today, 2026-01-26, the pitch is on fire... You wanted drama? You got absolute chaos. Liverpool and Manchester City just served up one of those soccer games you'll be talking about all week – goals, VAR, world-class stars, and a title race that just tilted hard at Anfield.

Liverpool 3–2 Manchester City: Heavyweights trading haymakers

This was Premier League live football at its purest, breathless and brutal. Right from the first whistle, both sides went straight for the throat.

Manchester City drew first blood: in the 18th minute, Erling Haaland did exactly what Erling Haaland does. Kevin De Bruyne slipped a trademark slide-rule pass between Van Dijk and Konaté, and Haaland smashed a left-foot finish low into the corner. 1–0 City, and Anfield was stunned for all of two seconds.

Liverpool punched back fast. In the 32nd minute, Mohamed Salah turned the game on its head. Darwin Núñez bullied Rúben Dias in the air, knocked the ball into Salah's path, and the Egyptian king curled a filthy right-foot shot into the top corner. 1–1 and Anfield absolutely exploded. Salah wasn't done – he terrorised City's right side all game, constantly dragging defenders out of position.

Just before half-time, the hosts flipped the script. From a corner on 44 minutes, Trent Alexander-Arnold delivered a wicked ball, Virgil van Dijk won the first header, and Dominik Szoboszlai snapped onto the loose ball in the box to lash home. 2–1 Liverpool, the stadium bouncing, Guardiola fuming on the touchline.

Second-half chaos: Haaland vs Salah and a gut-punch winner

City came out swinging after the break. In the 57th minute, De Bruyne floated a deep cross, and Haaland peeled off his marker to nod in at the far post for his second of the night. 2–2, top scorers today doing exactly what they’re paid for. Haaland’s movement was outrageous; every time the ball got near the box, Liverpool’s backline looked nervous.

But the key scene – the one everyone's arguing about – hit in the 79th minute. Núñez burst into the area and collided with João Cancelo. At first, the ref waved play on. Then came the dreaded pause: VAR check. After a long review and furious protests from both benches, the decision stayed no penalty. Anfield went ballistic, social media went nuclear, and the hot topic online was instantly that non-call.

Maybe that anger fueled Liverpool, because the late winner had pure rage and quality written all over it. On 88 minutes, Curtis Jones pinched the ball in midfield, fed Salah, and Salah slipped a sharp pass to Luis Díaz on the left. Díaz chopped inside one defender and drilled a low finish past Ederson into the far corner. 3–2 Liverpool, limbs everywhere, Klopp sprinting down the touchline like a madman.

Star verdicts:

• Mohamed Salah – One goal, one assist, nonstop menace. Hero. When Liverpool needed a leader, he took over.
• Erling Haaland – Two classic striker goals, but still ends up on the losing side. Clinical but isolated late on.
• Kevin De Bruyne – Two assists and still somehow looked frustrated. Controlled large spells but couldn't find the killer ball at 2–2.
• Virgil van Dijk – Shaky early but massive in the final 10 minutes, winning every aerial duel as City piled it on.

Title race shockwaves: who’s really on top?

This result doesn't just give Liverpool bragging rights – it twists the whole football league table. City drop crucial points again in a big away game, while Liverpool turn Anfield into a fortress just when it matters most. With three points swinging their way, Liverpool jump above City in the live standings and crank the pressure on everyone chasing them.

Arsenal and the rest of the pack are suddenly watching this and thinking, "We can't drop anything this weekend." One more wobble from City and the margin for error basically disappears.

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

Other big clashes: top scorers and turning points

Elsewhere across Europe, the Champions League news vibes were already creeping in as the big boys warmed up for continental nights.

Arsenal 2–0 Newcastle United

At the Emirates, Arsenal kept their nerve with a controlled 2–0 win over Newcastle. Bukayo Saka opened the scoring after 26 minutes, slotting home after a sharp one-two with Martin Ødegaard. In the second half, Gabriel Jesus made it safe, heading in from close range on 69 minutes after a clever cross from Ben White.

Saka looked electric, Jesus worked like a monster off the ball, and Ødegaard quietly dictated the tempo. No meltdown, no drama – just efficient, title-chasing football.

Real Madrid 3–1 Valencia

In LaLiga, Jude Bellingham put on another show as Real Madrid beat Valencia 3–1. Bellingham scored the opener with a late run into the box on 14 minutes, then set up Vinícius Júnior for a slick second just before half-time. Valencia pulled one back, but Rodrygo killed the game with a curling beauty on 81 minutes.

Bellingham was pure box-to-box chaos – goal, assist, and total control of midfield. If he keeps this up, the Champions League nights coming up might fully belong to him.

Social Media Spotlight: Anfield meltdown edition

While the ball was flying into the net, the internet was melting down over that VAR call and the late winner. Fans are split right down the middle: Liverpool supporters calling it justice for earlier decisions, City fans screaming robbery.

My take: statement win, worrying cracks

Let's be real: this felt like a statement night for Liverpool. The intensity, the press, the refusal to crumble after Haaland's second goal – that screamed "we're in this title race for real." Salah was absolutely world-class, Díaz played like a man possessed, and Anfield once again did that thing where it just swallows big teams whole.

But City? There are cracks. Haaland is still scoring at a ridiculous rate, yet the structure behind him looks a touch softer. De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva can’t keep bailing them out forever if the back line switches off late in games. If this was meant to be the "we're still in control" performance, it didn't land.

In my opinion, Guardiola has a big call to make on that defence before the next wave of Champions League fixtures. City don't look like the untouchable machine we've seen in recent seasons – and nights like this prove the gap at the top is razor thin.

What's next?

The domino effect from tonight's soccer games is massive. Every point, every missed chance, every nervy VAR check is now shaping not just the Premier League, but the whole European picture. Arsenal, Real Madrid, PSG, Bayern – everyone will be watching this Liverpool–City rollercoaster and thinking about how it all lines up when the Champions League kicks back in.

If you're trying to track who's really in control and who's pretending, the table is your best friend right now.

Check full stats & standings now

---

Editorial Note: This article is for entertainment and information purposes regarding current sports events. Sports betting and financial investments carry risks. Please gamble responsibly. Always check odds and terms with the provider.