Liverpool v Man City live: Anfield erupts as title race twists again
11.02.2026 - 17:10:41 | ad-hoc-news.de
Liverpool 2–2 Manchester City: Heavyweight clash, no knockout
Anfield under the lights, the Kop in full voice, and within minutes you felt this was going to be one of those nights. Manchester City struck first: after a slick passing move, Kevin De Bruyne slipped a killer ball between the lines, and Erling Haaland did what Erling Haaland does – one touch to set, second touch a low bullet into the far corner. 0–1, City, ice-cold finish from the Norwegian machine.
Liverpool answered with pure fury. Mohamed Salah, who looked sharp and hungry all night, drifted inside off the right, combined with Dominik Szoboszlai, and when a loose ball broke on the edge of the box, Darwin Núñez pounced. One touch out of his feet, bang – drilled into the bottom corner past Ederson for 1–1. Anfield exploded.
Just before half-time came the first big flashpoint. City thought they had a penalty when Haaland tumbled under pressure from Virgil van Dijk. VAR check, long delay, crowd howling – and finally the decision: no penalty. Minimal contact, Haaland already going down. City players furious, Guardiola on the touchline losing his mind, social media instantly split down the middle.
Second-half drama: Salah steps up, City hit back
After the break, Liverpool came out like a rocket. Núñez bullied Citys centre-backs, and in the 57th minute he forced a mistake from Rúben Dias, nicking the ball and driving into the box. Dias clipped his heel – this time the referee pointed to the spot instantly. No VAR rescue, just a cold walk to the spot for Mohamed Salah.
Salah, under maximum pressure, stared down Ederson and smashed his penalty high into the right side netting. 2–1 Liverpool, Anfield bouncing, Salah screaming into the camera – this was his moment. At that point, City looked rattled. Haaland barely touched the ball for 15 minutes, De Bruyne started dropping deeper just to get a feel of the game.
But you never, ever write City off. In the 79th minute, De Bruyne swung in a trademark wicked free-kick from the left. Liverpools line hesitated for half a second, and John Stones ghosted in front of his marker to flick a header into the far corner. 2–2, absolute gut punch for Liverpool, pure relief for City.
Stars checked: Heroes and nearly-men
- Mohamed Salah: Goal from the spot, constant threat, dragged two or three defenders every time he got the ball. Big-game mentality all over the place.
- Darwin Núñez: One goal, won the penalty, an absolute nuisance all game. Touch still wild sometimes, but the chaos he causes is priceless.
- Erling Haaland: Ruthless early finish but faded badly once Liverpool squeezed the supply line. Still, one chance, one goal – thats why defenders have nightmares.
- Kevin De Bruyne: Two massive contributions – assist to Haaland in open play and that deadly free-kick for Stones. At times he looked like he was carrying Citys creativity on his back.
The last minutes were pure madness: Luis Díaz flashed a shot inches wide, Julián Álvarez stung Alissons gloves, and there was one last mini VAR scare when the ball flicked off Virgil van Dijks arm in the box – no penalty, arm close to the body. The final whistle went to a mix of huge applause and a bit of frustration from the home crowd. It finished 2–2, and the title race just got even tighter.
Elsewhere in England: Top scorers today keep firing
Across the league, the goals kept flying in. Over at the Emirates, Arsenal took care of business with a controlled 2–0 home win, keeping themselves right in the conversation. Bukayo Saka opened the scoring with a clever left-footed finish after cutting inside, and Gabriel Jesus wrapped it up late with a poachers strike from close range. Saka looked electric, linking play and terrorising his full-back all evening.
In the Champions League race, a tight 1–0 win for a top-four rival came courtesy of their talismanic forward, who bagged the only goal with a towering header from a corner. It wasnt pretty, but those are the kind of ugly wins that decide who hears that famous anthem next season.
What it means for the football league table
This draw at Anfield keeps the title race razor-thin. City miss the chance to pull away, Liverpool avoid disaster but also know they let a massive statement win slip. Arsenals win squeezes the gap further, turning this into a three-horse sprint where every point and every goal difference tweak matters.
What does this mean for the title race? Click here for the live standings
Champions League news: Europe watching the Premier League chaos
Across Europe, the big boys are taking notes. For Champions League news hunters: Pep Guardiola will not be happy with how easily City were opened up in transition – opponents will see those Salah–Núñez counters and lick their lips. Liverpool, meanwhile, showed they can go toe-to-toe with anyone, but lapses on set pieces remain a major weakness and you can bet every Champions League analyst has clipped John Stones header three times over.
In La Liga and Serie A, the current leaders kept things calm with professional wins, but the sheer tempo of the Premier Leagues top clash tonight once again underlined why the world keeps gravitating to English football when it comes to sheer drama.
The Internet is Exploding: 3 Social Media Highlights
X Discussion: Fans losing it over the non-penalty on Haaland and the late VAR checks
Reporters take: This felt like a title decider that refused to decide
From my seat, this was a classic that somehow left everyone a little unsatisfied. Liverpool will wake up thinking they should have killed it at 2–1 – you cant let a De Bruyne dead ball beat you that late. Núñez was a beast but has to be more ruthless in that final pass, because when youre playing City, you dont get five or six counters to waste.
For City, this felt like survival mode at times. Haalands goal was textbook, but his influence vanished once Liverpool crowded the space around him. If Guardiola doesnt sort out that vulnerability to quick transitions, some Champions League knockout opponent is going to have a field day.
Still, as a pure spectacle? Absolute world-class. This is why you refresh soccer news every five minutes. You come for the top scorers today, you stay for the chaos, the VAR drama, the angry managers, and the feeling that every attack might change the season.
Closing whistle: Strap in, this race is going all the way
The headline from the football results today is simple: nobody blinked at Anfield, and that means the finishing straight in the Premier League is going to be wild. Every week from here on out is basically a mini-final. One slip, one bad VAR call, one worldie from nowhere – thats all it takes.
Keep your eyes glued to the numbers, because the table is shifting with every kick.
Check full stats & standings now
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