Liverpool vs Man City goes wild: Anfield chaos, Haaland drama – Live reaction
10.02.2026 - 05:08:53
This felt like a Champions League night disguised as a league clash – intensity, chaos, world-class stars everywhere, and a referee absolutely glued to VAR. From Mohamed Salah to Kevin De Bruyne, from Erling Haaland fighting for every inch to Darwin Núñez flying around like a chaos merchant, this was pure football adrenaline.
Five-goal thriller: Liverpool 3–2 Manchester City – breathless at Anfield
Anfield under the lights, title pressure cranked to max, and within 15 minutes we already had drama. Manchester City struck first: after a slick passing move, Bernardo Silva slipped a filthy through-ball into the box, Haaland's shot was blocked but the rebound fell kindly to Kevin De Bruyne, who drilled it low into the corner for 0–1. Classic De Bruyne – late run, laser finish.
Liverpool, though, refused to panic. On 27 minutes, Trent Alexander-Arnold fizzed a diagonal ball into the channel, Núñez bullied his way past Rúben Dias and squared it to Mohamed Salah. One touch to set, second to wallop it high at the near post: 1–1 and Anfield absolutely exploded. Salah pointed to the badge, the Kop roared his name – you could feel the energy flip.
Just before half-time came the first big VAR storm. City thought they had retaken the lead when Erling Haaland headed in a De Bruyne free-kick. Wild celebrations, Haaland knee-slide in front of the away end… and then the dreaded signal from the ref. VAR checked for offside, drew the lines, and decided Haaland's shoulder was just beyond Virgil van Dijk. Goal chalked off. From 1–2 to still 1–1, and X/Twitter instantly turned into a law seminar on "clear and obvious".
Second-half chaos: Núñez and Jota step up, Haaland shut down
The second half was pure end-to-end madness. On 56 minutes, Liverpool hit City with a transition straight out of a video game. Alexis Mac Allister snapped into a tackle, slipped it to Dominik Szoboszlai, who carried the ball 40 yards and slid in Darwin Núñez. The Uruguayan striker opened up his body and passed it coolly into the far corner: 2–1. Núñez sprinted to the corner flag, fingers in his ears – message sent.
City, being City, didn't fold. On 69 minutes, a patient spell of possession finally unlocked Liverpool. Phil Foden jinked inside from the left, found De Bruyne at the edge of the box, and De Bruyne slid a no-look pass through to Julián Álvarez. One crisp touch, one low finish across Alisson: 2–2. At that point, it felt like neither side would settle for a draw.
The winner? Absolute mayhem. 88th minute, Anfield ready to burst, Liverpool pressing like animals. Luis Díaz danced past Kyle Walker, whipped in a cross, and when City failed to clear, the ball dropped to Diogo Jota inside the six-yard box. Jota's first shot was blocked by Ederson, but he reacted fastest and smashed the rebound beneath the keeper for 3–2. The stadium shook, Jürgen Klopp (well, his successor on the touchline) was sprinting down the technical area, and City players just sank to the grass.
Stars under the spotlight: heroes and flops
- Mohamed Salah – One goal, constant threat. His equaliser set the tone and he repeatedly dragged Liverpool up the pitch. Big-game aura, again.
- Darwin Núñez – Goal and an assist-like involvement, relentless pressing. Decision-making still wild at times, but his energy broke City.
- Diogo Jota – Super-sub vibes. Right place, right time, killer instinct for the 88th?minute winner.
- Kevin De Bruyne – Goal plus a gorgeous assist. City's brain, dragged them back into it almost on his own.
- Erling Haaland – Honestly? Frustrated. Disallowed goal, barely any clean chances, bullied by Van Dijk for long stretches. On a night this big, he'll know he didn't dominate.
What this does to the Premier League table
This result is massive. Liverpool's win doesn't just hand them three points; it swings the momentum of the whole season. City drop crucial points away from home, and suddenly the football league table has a very different look: Liverpool edge back in front, City chasing instead of cruising, and the pack behind – Arsenal, Spurs, maybe even a surging Newcastle – will smell opportunity.
With every week, these soccer games at the top are starting to feel like mini cup finals. The gap between first and third is razor-thin, and every Salah goal or Haaland misfire feels like a potential title decider.
What does this mean for the title race? Click here for the live standings
Elsewhere in Europe: Bellingham and Mbappé keep the spotlight
It wasn't just England going wild. Across the continent, the stars kept feeding the Champions League news cycle. In Spain, Jude Bellingham was once again Real Madrid's heartbeat, scoring a late header and assisting another in a tight 2–1 win over Valencia. He's basically playing like a striker, a 10, and a captain all at once – the Bernabéu is completely obsessed.
In France, Kylian Mbappé continued his one-man highlight reel for PSG with two ruthless finishes in a 3–0 win, reminding everyone why every big club in Europe wants him next. Clinical, icy, and just too quick for everyone around him.
Put it all together, and today's football felt like a live trailer for the next Champions League knockout rounds: Salah and Núñez shredding City, Bellingham bossing La Liga, Mbappé turning Ligue 1 into his personal playground. Pick your star, they delivered.
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Reporter's take: this felt like a statement win
I'll be honest: this didn't just look like three points for Liverpool, it looked like a message. The press was aggressive, the crowd was feral, and the big names showed up. Salah was ruthless, Núñez played like a man possessed, and Jota once again proved he's one of the most clutch forwards in the league.
For City, there are real questions. When Haaland gets caged like this and De Bruyne has to drop deeper and deeper just to find the ball, the whole attacking machine looks a bit less terrifying. Pep won't admit it in public, but privately he'll hate how often his team got pinned back in the final 20 minutes.
In my opinion, this is the kind of match that can tilt a season mentally. Liverpool walk away believing they can outrun anyone to the finish line. City walk away knowing they're suddenly the ones chasing, and every slip from here on out is going to be magnified ten times over.
Closing whistle
If this is the level of intensity we're getting in early February, the run?in is going to be absolutely insane. From the top scorers today to the tactical tweaks on the touchline, everything feels like it's happening at 200 km/h – and we're all just trying to keep up.
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