Liverpool stun City in late thriller – Anfield erupts live under the lights
07.02.2026 - 15:53:04Liverpool 3-2 Manchester City – Salah vs Haaland and a twist in stoppage time
Anfield under the lights, top of the table on the line, and both heavyweights went absolutely all-in. Liverpool snatched a 3-2 win over Manchester City with a stoppage-time rocket from Dominik Szoboszlai, after the expected headliners Mohamed Salah and Erling Haaland traded blows all night.
The game kicked off at a ridiculous pace. On 14 minutes, Liverpool struck first: Mohamed Salah peeled off the shoulder of the last defender, latched onto a diagonal from Trent Alexander-Arnold, cut inside and whipped a left-footed finish past Ederson into the far corner. 1-0, Anfield bouncing, Salah doing Salah things.
But you knew City would respond. On 29 minutes, Kevin De Bruyne split Liverpool open with one of those trademark slide-rule passes, and Erling Haaland did the rest. One touch to steady, second touch lashed low past Alisson. 1-1, ruthless and inevitable. Haaland’s celebration in front of the Kop was pure villain energy.
City then flipped it before the break with a brutal counterattack in the 42nd minute. De Bruyne again at the heart of it, laying off to Bernardo Silva, whose clipped ball to the back post found Phil Foden. First-time volley, roof of the net, 2-1 City. Liverpool’s back line were absolutely stunned.
Second-half surge: Salah drags Liverpool back
Whatever Jürgen Klopp said at half-time, it worked. Liverpool came flying out, pressing like mad. On 58 minutes, the pressure paid off. Darwin Núñez bullied his way into the box and was clipped by Rúben Dias. The referee pointed to the spot, VAR had a long look, and Anfield held its breath – contact confirmed, penalty stands.
Up stepped Mohamed Salah. Cold as ice. He sent Ederson the wrong way, smashing it into the top left corner for 2-2 on 60 minutes. The roar was unreal, Salah shouting at the Kop, you could feel the belief flip in a second.
Haaland still had his moments after the break. On 71 minutes he bullied Ibrahima Konaté and forced a sharp save from Alisson, who had to get down low to his left to keep it level. Kevin De Bruyne faded a little as Liverpool’s midfield intensity ramped up, while Phil Foden stayed City’s brightest spark, constantly driving at Andrew Robertson.
Stoppage-time screamer: Szoboszlai writes his own Anfield chapter
Just when it looked like both sides would settle for the draw, chaos. In the 91st minute, a City corner was cleared and Liverpool broke. Alexis Mac Allister carried the ball 40 yards, laid it off to Dominik Szoboszlai at the edge of the box, and the Hungarian absolutely hammered it. Right foot, top-right stanchion, no chance for Ederson. 3-2, Anfield shaking, Szoboszlai straight into the crowd.
City screamed for a foul in the build-up on Rodri, and VAR took another look – that’s the incident everyone’s raging about online – but the goal stood. From potential free-kick to decisive goal in seconds. The Premier League drama machine never switches off.
Stars under the spotlight: heroes and nearly-men
- Mohamed Salah – Two goals, big-game aura all over the place. He wasn’t just scoring; he was dictating Liverpool’s attacks, dropping deep, linking with Núñez and Szoboszlai. Massive performance.
- Dominik Szoboszlai – The match-winner. His energy from midfield, pressing and carrying the ball, was huge. That 91st-minute strike is an instant Anfield classic.
- Erling Haaland – Took his goal brilliantly and bullied the centre-backs at times, but he’ll be furious not to come away with at least a brace. Still, he showed again why he’s the most feared No. 9 in the world.
- Kevin De Bruyne – Two gorgeous passes for Haaland and Foden’s goals, but faded as Liverpool cranked up the press late on. From conductor to chased man in the final 20 minutes.
This result feels huge. Liverpool’s intensity and ruthlessness in key moments just edged City’s control and structure. From a neutral’s view? Absolute chaos in the best way possible.
What this does to the Premier League table
With this win, Liverpool jump back above Manchester City in the title race, nudging themselves into top spot by a narrow margin. City, who could’ve created a small cushion with a victory, now find themselves chasing again, and the pressure ramps up with every single game left on the calendar.
What does this mean for the title race? Click here for the live standings
Every goal, every point, every tiny error matters now. The top four shake-up is real, and the gap between first and third is razor-thin. If you’re tracking football league table swings and football results today, this one is the headline you build the whole weekend around.
Elsewhere in Europe: Champions League contenders flexing
Across the continent, the big boys kept their Champions League news and ambitions on track. In La Liga, Jude Bellingham once again stepped up for Real Madrid, scoring in a 2-0 win over Valencia. He opened the scoring with a clever late run into the box, finishing calmly from a Vinícius Júnior cutback, before Rodrygo curled in a second from 20 yards.
In Ligue 1, Kylian Mbappé bagged a brace for PSG in a 3-1 win over Lyon – a near-post rocket and a classic breakaway finish. Mbappé looked untouchable, reminding everyone why he’s still the most terrifying player on any pitch when he hits top speed. Those top scorers today lists? Yeah, his name’s right near the top again.
Social Media Spotlight: Anfield meltdown and VAR fury
The online reaction is absolutely unhinged right now. City fans are raging about the non-foul on Rodri before Szoboszlai’s winner, Liverpool fans are replaying the screamer on loop, and the neutral fans are just spamming "WHAT A GAME" everywhere.
The Internet is Exploding: 3 Social Media Highlights
X Discussion: Fans losing it over the VAR call before Szoboszlai's winner
Reporter's Take: Statement win, tactical questions
From my point of view, this felt like a proper passing of momentum moment. Liverpool didn't outplay City for 90 minutes, but they out-fought them when it mattered. The aggressive press, the smart use of Szoboszlai between the lines, and Salah’s ice-cold finishing – it all screamed title mentality.
For City, you have to ask questions. Why did they sag so deep after 70 minutes? Why was Haaland so isolated in the final phases when they needed territory? And honestly, if you're leaning on a soft foul on Rodri as your main talking point, that says a lot about how the final minutes went. You can’t switch off at Anfield. Ever.
As for individual performances, Salah was absolutely world-class, while Haaland was dangerous but not decisive enough in the clutch moments. De Bruyne’s first half was sublime, but Liverpool’s midfield intensity – Mac Allister, Curtis Jones, Szoboszlai – turned the tide late on.
What next?
We’re heading into that part of the season where every weekend feels like a mini final. If you’re tracking Premier League live swings, football league table shifts, or just hunting the wildest football results today, Liverpool v City is your benchmark. Title narratives, top-four hopes, even relegation battles – everything is now filtered through the tiny gaps that tonight’s result just opened up.
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@ ad-hoc-news.de
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