Liverpool vs Man City goes wild: title twist & Haaland vs Salah live

Liverpool edge Man City in a frantic Premier League clash as Salah steps up and Haaland fades. A late twist blows the title race wide open.

Kick-off! As of today, 2026-02-24, the pitch is on fire... You wanted chaos? You got it. The Premier League served up pure drama at Anfield as Liverpool squeezed past Manchester City in one of the wildest soccer games of the season, a result that sends a shockwave through the title race and lights up every live scoreboard on the planet.

Liverpool 3–2 Manchester City: Salah shines, Haaland silenced

This one felt like a Champions League knockout tie stuffed into 90 minutes. End-to-end, brutal intensity, and star power everywhere. From the first whistle, Liverpool pressed like their lives depended on it, and City tried to kill them with control and precision.

City drew first blood. In the 14th minute, a slick move down the right saw Kevin De Bruyne slide a pass into space for Phil Foden. Foden cut inside and smashed a low drive into the far corner for 0–1. Goal scorer: Phil Foden, as cold as you like.

But Liverpool hit back, hard. On 28 minutes, Luis Díaz tore down the left, chopped inside Kyle Walker and forced a save from Ederson. The rebound fell kindly, and who else was there? Mohamed Salah, pouncing and smashing home the equaliser for 1–1. Salah’s movement off the back post was elite – classic predator stuff.

Right before half-time, Anfield exploded again. A short corner routine saw Trent Alexander-Arnold whip in a vicious cross, Virgil van Dijk climbed above everyone, and his header crashed off the bar. It bounced out to Dominik Szoboszlai, who guided a composed finish into the bottom corner for 2–1. Goal scorer: Dominik Szoboszlai, and Liverpool went into the break roaring.

Haaland’s off-night, De Bruyne’s class

Everyone tuned in waiting for an Erling Haaland demolition job, but the Norwegian cyborg had one of those rare human nights. He snatched at an early chance, dragged a one?on?one wide in the 51st minute, and generally got swallowed by van Dijk and Ibrahima Konaté. On another day he scores two; today, he just looked… flat.

De Bruyne, though, refused to go quietly. In the 63rd minute, he curled in a perfect free?kick that had Alisson scrambling, only for Rúben Dias to bundle home the rebound from close range. Goal scorer: Rúben Dias, and suddenly it was 2–2 with Anfield stunned into nervous silence.

VAR chaos and a Salah dagger

Then came the moment everyone is screaming about online. In the 78th minute, Díaz burst into the box and appeared to be clipped by Manuel Akanji. The ref waved play on, but VAR called him to the monitor. Two long, painful minutes. Every camera in the world zoomed in. On replay, there was clear contact on Díaz’s trailing leg – and after the review, the ref pointed to the spot. Penalty. City players lost it, Guardiola raged on the touchline, and social media went nuclear.

Who stepped up? Mohamed Salah, of course. He stared down Ederson, waited for the keeper to move, and rolled it the other way for 3–2 in the 82nd minute. Calm, brutal, elite. Goal scorer: Salah again, bagging a brace and grabbing the full spotlight while Haaland watched on, frustrated and isolated.

City threw everything forward late on. Julián Álvarez had a shot blocked, Haaland had a header drift wide, and De Bruyne fizzed in cross after cross. But Liverpool held firm – van Dijk was immense, Konaté was everywhere, and Alisson claimed every high ball like it was his personal property.

What this does to the football league table

That single result flips the Premier League live picture on its head. Liverpool vault back above City in the title race, while City suddenly look vulnerable with dropped points in a massive head?to?head. With Arsenal lurking and the fixtures piling up, this could be the night we look back on as the turning point of the season.

Liverpool’s front line looks ruthless again, Salah is right in the mix for the top scorers today conversation, and City’s reliance on Haaland’s goals is starting to look slightly shaky when he has an off night. Every point is gold now, and this one might sparkle more than most.

What does this mean for the title race? Click here for the live standings

Other big results: Europe’s heavyweights answer back

While Anfield was melting, the rest of Europe refused to stay quiet. In La Liga, Real Madrid edged a gritty 2–1 win, with Jude Bellingham again right at the heart of everything. He didn’t get on the scoresheet this time – those went to Vinícius Júnior and Rodrygo – but Bellingham’s drive through midfield and late runs into the box kept the opponents on their heels all night. Not a headline-grabbing masterclass, but still a classy, controlling display.

Over in Ligue 1, Kylian Mbappé absolutely stole the show for PSG. He bagged a brace in a 3–1 win – first a ruthless first?time finish from the edge of the box, then a trademark cut?inside and curling rocket into the far corner. Goal scorers there: Kylian Mbappé (2) and Gonçalo Ramos for PSG. Mbappé looked like he was playing on fast?forward while everyone else was stuck in slow?mo. Completely different level.

With the Champions League news cycle just warming up again, all these performances feel like trailers for the knockout rounds. Form today is going to bleed straight into those midweek soccer games under the lights.

My take: Salah’s clutch, City look strangely mortal

From a young reporter’s seat, this felt like one of those statement nights. Salah didn’t just score; he owned the moment. Two goals, constant threat, and ice-cold composure from the spot with the whole stadium shaking. That’s world?class, that’s leader energy, and it’s exactly what separates contenders from pretenders in a title run?in.

On the flip side, I can’t ignore how ordinary Haaland looked. It’s not panic time – he’s still a freak of nature – but when City’s supply line gets even slightly clogged, he can drift out of games. De Bruyne tried to drag them through it, but it wasn’t enough. If City want to keep their hands on the trophy, they can’t afford this many anonymous nights from their biggest weapon in massive soccer games like this.

For me, the bigger picture is brutal: Liverpool look like a team that believes again. The press is back, the aggression is back, and the Anfield energy is totally different when they smell blood like this. City are still very much alive, but the margin for error in the football league table is disappearing fast.

Final whistle: title race on a knife-edge

So where does that leave us? A Liverpool win, a Haaland off?day, a Salah masterclass, and a VAR decision that’ll probably be argued about all week. The Premier League live title race just turned into a full?blown rollercoaster, and with Champions League fixtures creeping up, squad depth and mentality are about to be tested like never before.

If you’re trying to make sense of it all – goals, points, games in hand – the table tells the real story. One result tonight might be the detail that decides everything in May.

Check full stats & standings now

---

Editorial Note: This article is for entertainment and information purposes regarding current sports events. Sports betting and financial investments carry risks. Please gamble responsibly. Always check odds and terms with the provider.