Liverpool v Man City live: Salah stunner, Haaland heartbreak in title race chaos
20.02.2026 - 15:04:18 | ad-hoc-news.de
Liverpool 3-2 Manchester City – Salah the king, Haaland left raging
If you missed this one, seriously, stop what you're doing and catch the highlights. Liverpool came from behind to beat City 3-2 at Anfield in a game that swung like a pendulum for 90 breathless minutes.
City struck first. In the 14th minute, Erling Haaland did exactly what Erling Haaland does: one touch to control a Kevin De Bruyne pass, second touch low into the corner for 0-1. Clinical. That goal moves Haaland up the list of top scorers today, and at that point it looked like another long afternoon for the Kop.
Liverpool woke up fast. On 29 minutes, Mohamed Salah equalised with a pure Salah goal: drifting in from the right, linking with Darwin Núñez, then whipping a left-footed curler inside the far post. 1-1 and Anfield absolutely erupted.
Right before half-time, the game went full chaos. City thought they'd gone 2-1 up when Phil Foden smashed in after a scramble, but VAR stepped in. After a long check, the referee ruled a foul by Rúben Dias on Núñez in the build-up. Goal disallowed, Jürgen Klopp pumping his fists, Pep Guardiola losing his mind on the touchline. The hot topic online? That VAR decision, obviously.
Second-half madness: Núñez delivers, Salah seals it
Early in the second half, Liverpool flipped the script. In the 52nd minute, Trent Alexander-Arnold whipped in a wicked cross, Núñez rose above Dias and headed home for 2-1. The Uruguayan's movement was class all game – bullying centre-backs, stretching the line, giving City nightmares.
City, being City, didn't go away. On 68 minutes, De Bruyne slid a perfect ball into Julián Álvarez, who coolly slotted past Alisson for 2-2. That made it a real test of nerve. Haaland had a half-chance minutes later, smashing a shot just wide from the edge of the box – you could feel the tension in every touch.
Then came the moment. 81st minute. Liverpool broke at speed. Núñez dragged defenders away, Dominik Szoboszlai fed Salah on the right edge of the box. One touch, shift, BOOM. Salah hammered a right-foot rocket into the top corner for 3-2. Absolute screamer. One of those goals that belongs in every highlight reel this season.
City pushed late, Haaland had a header saved by Alisson in stoppage time, and there was one more tiny VAR check for a possible handball on Virgil van Dijk in the box – waved away. Final whistle: 3-2 Liverpool. Anfield shook, Klopp did the fist pumps, and Guardiola walked straight down the tunnel looking furious.
Heroes and flops: Salah shines, Haaland human
Mohamed Salah was the star. Two huge goals, constant danger, and every time Liverpool needed a moment, he produced it. In the context of the football league table, he didn't just score; he might have turned the entire title race.
Darwin Núñez deserves a ton of love too. One goal, one assist, and about nine miles of pure chaos running. He dragged City's back line all over the place; Rúben Dias and Josko Gvardiol looked rattled every time he spun in behind.
For City, Kevin De Bruyne was maybe their best outfield player – another assist, always looking to punch passes between the lines. Phil Foden had flashes but never fully took over. And Erling Haaland? A weird one: he scored, yes, but missed a couple of half-chances he usually buries and cut a frustrated figure as Liverpool doubled up on him. Not a disaster, but not a "Haaland destroys everyone" night either.
At the back, Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konaté were huge in the last 15 minutes, clearing cross after cross. Alisson made one massive save from Haaland's header in stoppage time that might end up being season-defining.
What this does to the title race
In terms of the live Premier League picture, this is massive. Liverpool leapfrog City and put real pressure on the rest of the pack. City, meanwhile, suddenly look vulnerable – dropped points in a direct clash against a rival is a psychological blow as much as a mathematical one.
Arsenal and the other chasers will be watching this and thinking: "Game on." Every point, every goal, every mistake from here matters. With Champions League news swirling and midweek fixtures clogging the calendar, the squad depth and mentality of these sides are about to be tested hard.
What does this mean for the title race? Click here for the live standings
Elsewhere in Europe: Champions League contenders flex
Across the continent, today's soccer news also hit hard. In Spain, Jude Bellingham once again pulled Real Madrid out of trouble with a late header in a tight 2-1 win – yes, another clutch moment from the English superstar keeping their Champions League momentum alive. In France, Kylian Mbappé scored and assisted as PSG cruised, looking every bit like a team gearing up for a deep European run.
The connection between these league results and the Champions League is huge. Form now equals confidence later. Top scorers today are the same names you'll be hearing when knockout football returns: Salah, Haaland, Bellingham, Mbappé – it's the same elite group writing new chapters every week.
The Internet is Exploding: 3 Social Media Highlights
X Discussion: Fans losing it over that VAR call and Salah's top-corner screamer
My take: Klopp's chaos beats Pep's control… for now
In my opinion, this was vintage Klopp-ball and exactly why you never write Liverpool off in the biggest soccer games. Tactically, Guardiola tried to suffocate the midfield with control, but once Liverpool went more direct and leaned into Núñez's chaos, City cracked.
Defensively, City looked oddly fragile whenever the ball went wide early. They invited crosses, and with Núñez in this kind of mood, that felt like a terrible idea. Pep might have to rethink his back-line balance for big away days; otherwise, this could become a pattern.
From a narrative point of view, though, tonight belongs to Salah. That second goal wasn't just three points, it was a statement: he's still very much in the conversation with the absolute elite – Mbappé, Haaland, Bellingham – as a player who decides seasons, not just matches.
What's next?
This result will echo across every dressing room in the league. The next round of fixtures just got spicier, the pressure on City just got heavier, and Liverpool's momentum just went through the roof. Title runs, top-four chases, even relegation battles – all of it is tied together in that live football league table.
Check full stats & standings now
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