Liverpool vs Man City thriller LIVE: Anfield erupts as title race twists
07.02.2026 - 13:27:28
Premier League Live Drama: Liverpool 3–2 Man City
This one was billed as Salah vs Haaland, Anfield vs Guardiola, and it lived up to every bit of hype. From the first whistle, you could feel the energy. Liverpool pressed like maniacs, City tried to cool it down with long spells of possession, but neither side knew how to play it safe.
Liverpool struck first: after just 14 minutes, a slick move down the right saw Trent Alexander-Arnold fizz a low cross into the box. Mohamed Salah ghosted between the centre-backs and smashed home the opener from close range. 1–0 Liverpool, and Anfield absolutely exploded.
City hit back before the break. On 32 minutes, Kevin De Bruyne slipped a perfect through ball in behind the high line, and Erling Haaland finally got his moment – one touch, bang, low into the far corner. 1–1, his trademark finish, even though for most of the game he was strangled by Liverpool’s aggressive defending.
Right before half-time, Liverpool swung it again. A corner caused chaos, City failed to clear, and the ball fell kindly to Virgil van Dijk inside the six-yard box. The captain stayed ice?cold, lashing the ball high into the net for 2–1. Pep Guardiola’s face said it all: pure disbelief at his defence switching off.
Second-Half Fireworks: Big Names Under the Spotlight
After the break, City came out angry. De Bruyne stepped up, Phil Foden started to find pockets, and you could feel a storm coming. On 61 minutes, it arrived. A quick combination on the edge of the box freed Phil Foden on his left foot, and he whipped a rocket into the top corner. 2–2, absolutely unstoppable. Alisson had no chance.
From there, it turned into a basketball game. Salah was a constant nightmare on the break, while Haaland… not so much. Apart from his goal, he was weirdly quiet. He missed a massive chance on 70 minutes, heading wide from six yards after a perfect Bernardo Silva cross. That miss is exactly what fans are raging about online.
And then came the dagger. On 84 minutes, Liverpool broke from a City corner. Darwin Núñez powered forward, released Salah on the right, and the Egyptian king cut the ball back to Dominik Szoboszlai steaming into the box. First time, low, clinical finish into the bottom corner. 3–2 Liverpool, stadium shaking, Guardiola on his knees.
There was still a final twist: deep into stoppage time, City thought they’d equalised when Haaland bundled the ball in from close range after a scramble. But VAR stepped in – and the whole thing turned nuclear.
VAR Mayhem: The Goal That Broke the Internet
The referee went to the monitor and chalked the goal off for a foul in the buildup: Rúben Dias was judged to have dragged Diogo Jota down at a corner before the ball fell to Haaland. City players went ballistic, Guardiola lost it on the touchline, and social media detonated on the spot.
For Liverpool fans, it was justice and a rare VAR win. For City fans, it was robbery. The clips are looping non?stop online, every angle being analysed like a crime scene. This VAR decision is absolutely the hot topic of the night.
Heroes & Flops: Salah Shines, Haaland Under the Microscope
Mohamed Salah was pure big?game energy. One goal, one assist, and constant threat whenever Liverpool countered. He drove at defenders, dragged markers out of position, and basically decided the game in the final third. This is exactly why he’s still considered one of the best in the world.
Dominik Szoboszlai delivered a monster performance in midfield, topped off with that clutch 84th?minute winner. When Liverpool needed someone to arrive late and be brave in the box, he stepped up.
On the flip side, Erling Haaland will catch heat, even with his first-half goal. In huge title-deciding matches, every touch is magnified, and his second-half miss plus the disallowed goal are what everyone remembers. De Bruyne carried more creative weight, while Haaland drifted in and out of the game.
For City, Phil Foden was the standout – his equaliser was world-class and he constantly tried to punch holes in Liverpool’s back line. But defensively, Rúben Dias and John Stones had a rough night dealing with Liverpool’s direct running and set?pieces.
Title Race Shockwave: What This Result Means
This isn’t just another 3–2. With this win, Liverpool crank up massive pressure at the top of the table. City drop crucial points against a direct rival, and suddenly those little slips against mid?table sides earlier in the season look way more costly.
Liverpool’s momentum is insane right now. Anfield remains a fortress, and this result could be the psychological punch that tilts the Premier League title race. For City, it’s a wake?up call: the aura of invincibility in these monster fixtures is wobbling.
What does this mean for the title race? Click here for the live standings
Elsewhere in Today's Football Results
Across Europe, the football results today kept the drama flowing. In La Liga, Real Madrid edged a tight one thanks to Jude Bellingham, who scored the only goal in a 1–0 grind where he once again looked like the main man. In Ligue 1, Kylian Mbappé was on the scoresheet for PSG with a cool penalty and a dazzling solo run that ended in a cut?back assist for a teammate.
But make no mistake: the headline act was in England. Every neutral had one eye on Anfield, checking live updates, tables, and top scorers today as the goals kept flying in.
The Internet is Exploding: 3 Social Media Highlights
X Discussion: Fans furious over the late VAR call on Haaland's disallowed goal
Reporter's Take: Brutal, Loud, and Absolutely Elite
Here’s my honest read: this felt like one of those statement games that we look back on in May. Liverpool were fearless, aggressive, and ruthless when it mattered. City looked technically brilliant as always, but just that tiny bit soft defensively and not killer enough in both boxes.
In my opinion, Guardiola gambled too long on keeping the same back line on the pitch. They were visibly tiring, and Liverpool’s late waves of pressure came exactly from that. Meanwhile, Jürgen Klopp’s changes added energy and chaos – classic Klopp football, and it paid off.
This was an absolute world-class performance from Salah in a huge occasion. If Liverpool do go on to lift the title, clips from tonight – the opener, the assist, the celebrations in front of the Kop – are going straight into the season montage.
What's Next?
The Premier League run?in just turned into must?watch TV. Every weekend from here is basically a mini?final for both Liverpool and City. You're going to want the live table open non?stop while you follow every result, every goal, every twist.
Check full stats & standings now
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