Liverpool stun City in late thriller as Haaland fires but Salah has last word – Live chaos
07.02.2026 - 17:24:00
Liverpool 3-2 Manchester City – Salah steals the script, Haaland boils over
Did you see that?? This wasn't just another big game, this felt like a season-defining punch right to the jaw of the champions. Liverpool came from behind to beat Manchester City 3-2 in a breathless classic, with Mohamed Salah once again writing his name all over the match report.
City actually drew first blood. On 19 minutes, Erling Haaland did exactly what Erling Haaland does – ghosted between the centre-backs, met a teasing Kevin De Bruyne cross and buried a towering header into the bottom corner. 1-0 City, and Haaland wheeled away to the away end like the cyborg we all know. That took his tally in the top scorers today charts to yet another ridiculous number.
Liverpool looked rattled for a spell. De Bruyne started pulling strings, Phil Foden buzzed between the lines, and you could sense another City avalanche. But Anfield energy is a different beast. On 34 minutes, it was Salah time. The Egyptian king drifted off the right, exchanged a sharp one-two with Dominik Szoboszlai, then smashed a left-foot rocket from just inside the box. Ederson got a glove but not enough – 1-1 and the place absolutely exploded.
Right before half-time, the game flipped. A quick counter off a City corner saw Luis Díaz sprint the length of the pitch, skin Kyle Walker, and drill a low cross. Darwin Núñez fluffed his finish, but the rebound fell kindly to Alexis Mac Allister, who calmly side-footed home from the edge of the D. Two shots, two goals, Liverpool 2-1 City at the break. Cold-blooded.
Second-half storm: De Bruyne magic, then late VAR carnage
Pep’s reaction after the restart was instant: City pushed the full-backs high, and it paid off. On 58 minutes, De Bruyne reminded everyone why he's still one of the best in world football. He slipped a filthy reverse pass through to Phil Foden, who chopped inside and bent a gorgeous left-footer into the far corner. 2-2, pure quality from two superstars.
From there, the game went completely end-to-end. Haaland had a huge chance on 69 minutes when Bernardo Silva put him through one-on-one, but Alisson stood tall and pawed away his low drive. That felt like a turning point – Haaland, usually ice-cold, just looked a half-second off tonight after that early goal.
And then came the flashpoint everyone is going to be screaming about on social: the 86th-minute VAR drama. Liverpool broke again, Núñez tumbled under a challenge from Rúben Dias in the box, and the referee initially waved play on. Anfield lost its mind. After a long check, VAR called him over, and the big screen flashed: PENALTY – AFTER REVIEW. City players surrounded the official, Haaland was absolutely raging, but the decision stood.
Who else steps up but Mohamed Salah? The pressure is insane, the stadium holding its breath. Salah stutters, sends Ederson the wrong way and thumps it into the side-netting on 89 minutes. 3-2 Liverpool. You could almost feel the title race swinging in that one kick.
Heroes, flops & headlines: Salah vs Haaland vs De Bruyne
- Mohamed Salah – Two goals, the equaliser and the ice-cold winner from the spot. Created chaos all night, dragged Liverpool forward. That’s genuine world-class, again.
- Erling Haaland – Scored a superb opener but will be haunted by that one-on-one miss and his meltdown over the penalty. Not a flop, but far from his ruthless best.
- Kevin De Bruyne – Assist for Haaland, pre-assist for Foden, pulled strings everywhere. If anyone didn't deserve to be on the losing side, it was him.
- Phil Foden – Ridiculous technique on his goal, constantly threatening. City's brightest spark in the second half.
- Luis Díaz & Darwin Núñez – Raw, wild energy. Díaz terrified City on the break; Núñez drove them back with movement even if his finishing was chaotic.
What this does to the football league table
This isn't just about bragging rights. With this win, Liverpool leapfrog City in the Premier League table and crank the pressure all the way up in the title race. City suddenly look chase-mode instead of cruise-control, while Liverpool's momentum is absolutely flying heading into a brutal run of fixtures and looming Champions League news on the horizon.
What does this mean for the title race? Click here for the live standings
Elsewhere in today's soccer news
In other top leagues, Real Madrid kept their grip on La Liga with Jude Bellingham once again on the scoresheet, while Kylian Mbappé bagged a brace for PSG in Ligue 1. Bellingham's late header and Mbappé's trademark cut-in-and-curl finish reminded everyone why they're both living permanently in the 'world's best' conversation. No meltdown, no drama – just cold, clinical superstar football.
Across Europe, the top scorers today list is a who's who of elite finishers: Haaland, Salah, Mbappé, Bellingham all hitting the net in the same matchday. If you're into numbers, this is the kind of day that breaks the stat trackers.
Social Media Spotlight: the game everyone is yelling about
The online reaction is wild. The hot topic? That last-gasp VAR penalty on Rúben Dias. Half the timeline calling it a stonewall pen, the other half screaming "robbery". Haaland's furious reaction, Salah's ice-cold celebration, and Pep's death-stare on the touchline are running on loop.
The Internet is Exploding: 3 Social Media Highlights
X Discussion: Fans furious over the late VAR penalty and Haaland's reaction
My take: this felt like a power shift
From a young reporter's seat, this didn't feel like just three points. This felt like Liverpool standing up and yelling, "We're back in this." The intensity, the belief, the way they hunted City down after going behind – that's title-winning energy.
On the flip side, City looked strangely human. Once Haaland missed that one-on-one, you could almost see the doubt creeping in. Guardiola's side are so used to controlling everything, but when games turn into chaotic soccer games like this, Anfield-style madness, they suddenly look vulnerable. In my opinion, Pep left it a bit too late with his bench – more fresh legs earlier might have killed the Liverpool momentum.
Salah, though, is the headline. Every time we start talking about "the next generation" of stars – Mbappé, Bellingham, Haaland – he goes and drops a performance like this. Leader, finisher, big-moment merchant. Absolute world-class.
What's next?
The ripple effect of this result will hit everything: Premier League race, Champions League confidence, even summer transfer decisions for both clubs. If Liverpool ride this wave, we could be staring at a genuine multi-team title scrap right down to the wire. If City bounce back with their usual ruthless streak, this might just end up as the night that woke the beast.
Either way, the table just got spicy, the narratives just got louder, and the season just stepped up a level.
Check full stats & standings now
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