Liverpool v Man City live: Anfield erupts as title race explodes
07.02.2026 - 18:45:42
Kick-off! As of today, 2026-02-07, the pitch is on fire... Did you see that?? The latest round of soccer games just detonated the Premier League title race, with Liverpool squeezing past Manchester City in a frantic 3-2 thriller at Anfield that had absolutely everything: goals from Mohamed Salah and Erling Haaland, a VAR storm, and a last-gasp winner that shook the Kop to its core.
The top leagues delivered pure chaos today, but nowhere more than in England, where the Premier League live action felt like a Champions League knockout tie. Goals, drama, momentum swings – this was why you love football.
City didn’t blink. Just ten minutes later, Kevin De Bruyne reminded everyone that his vision is still from another planet. In the 24th minute, he drifted wide right, opened his body and hung a devilish cross into the six-yard box. Erling Haaland bullied his way between Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konaté and thundered a header past Alisson. Classic Haaland: one chance, one goal, 1-1 and that trademark ice-cold celebration in front of the stunned Kop.
The first half stayed wild. Phil Foden rattled the post from distance, Luis DĂaz roasted Kyle Walker a couple of times, and both keepers – Alisson and Ederson – were forced into big saves. But the real storm hit on 42 minutes. Liverpool thought they’d gone back in front when Núñez smashed home a rebound after Ederson spilled a long-range shot from Szoboszlai. The flag went up, then VAR got involved. Lines all over the screen, fans whistling, players crowding the ref. After a tense delay, the decision stood: offside against Núñez by the tightest of margins. The stadium erupted in fury, and that VAR call became the flashpoint social media could not stop debating.
City, though, just refuse to die. Pep Guardiola shoved Bernardo Silva higher and City started suffocating Liverpool again. On 69 minutes, a short-corner routine caught Liverpool napping. De Bruyne fizzed a cross to the edge of the box, where Phil Foden met it first time, low and hard. It squirmed through bodies, clipped Konaté’s heel and wrong-footed Alisson on its way into the net. Officially credited to Foden, 2-2, and suddenly it felt like City were about to do what City always do: suffocate, then kill.
But this time, the script flipped. With ten minutes left, Klopp rolled the dice, throwing on Cody Gakpo and Harvey Elliott. Liverpool found one last surge. In the 88th minute, Alexander-Arnold pinged a diagonal to the right, Salah cushioned it beautifully, cut inside Josko Gvardiol and unleashed a curling left-foot strike. Ederson parried, but only as far as Cody Gakpo, who reacted quickest and smashed the rebound into the roof of the net. 3-2 Liverpool, Anfield in absolute meltdown.
Haaland had one final half-chance in stoppage time, rising above everyone for a deep cross, but his header flashed just wide. On the night, the Norwegian star was dangerous and clinical when he got service, but Liverpool’s centre-backs did just enough to limit him to that single goal. De Bruyne orchestrated brilliantly at times, but City never fully controlled the chaos. For Liverpool, Salah was pure world-class again – a goal, the shot that led to the winner, and constant fear every time he got the ball. Alexander-Arnold’s hybrid role was risky defensively, but he shaped the game with his passing.
Liverpool’s home form stays insane, while City’s habit of conceding in big away games just will not go away. The gap at the top tightens, goal difference matters, and every single point from here on out feels like gold dust.
Haaland’s movement was terrifying at times, constantly pulling Konaté into uncomfortable spaces. Salah, though, stole the show when it mattered, repeatedly isolating his defender and forcing City to over-commit cover. When you stack the big names side by side tonight, Salah edges the battle: not just for his goal, but for the chaos he created and the match-winning involvement late on.
And that VAR offside call on Núñez? That’s the clip everyone is rewinding. Freeze frames, drawn lines, arguments about "clear and obvious" – the debate is spilling over from living rooms to X, Instagram, and everywhere else. Some fans are convinced it was the right call, others are absolutely adamant Liverpool were robbed at 2-1 earlier. In the end, Núñez still got his goal, but that flashpoint will be living rent-free online for days.
For City, there has to be concern. Yes, Haaland scored, De Bruyne created, Foden delivered, but they looked strangely human under sustained pressure. The defensive line never looked fully settled, and in my opinion, Guardiola left it a bit too late to shore things up after the second equaliser. When you're in a title race this tight, you can't keep giving your biggest rival oxygen in their own stadium.
If Liverpool ride this wave, tonight might be the moment we look back on as the turning point – the night the title race tilted red.
The top leagues delivered pure chaos today, but nowhere more than in England, where the Premier League live action felt like a Champions League knockout tie. Goals, drama, momentum swings – this was why you love football.
Liverpool 3-2 Manchester City – Salah vs Haaland, and one ruthless twist
Anfield under the lights, title rivals nose-to-nose, and from the first whistle it felt like every touch mattered. Liverpool struck first: in the 14th minute, a slick one-touch move cut City apart. Darwin Núñez dropped deep, fed Dominik Szoboszlai between the lines, and his slide-rule pass sent Mohamed Salah in behind. One touch to set, one touch to whip it low into the far corner. 1-0 Liverpool, Anfield roaring like a jet engine.City didn’t blink. Just ten minutes later, Kevin De Bruyne reminded everyone that his vision is still from another planet. In the 24th minute, he drifted wide right, opened his body and hung a devilish cross into the six-yard box. Erling Haaland bullied his way between Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konaté and thundered a header past Alisson. Classic Haaland: one chance, one goal, 1-1 and that trademark ice-cold celebration in front of the stunned Kop.
The first half stayed wild. Phil Foden rattled the post from distance, Luis DĂaz roasted Kyle Walker a couple of times, and both keepers – Alisson and Ederson – were forced into big saves. But the real storm hit on 42 minutes. Liverpool thought they’d gone back in front when Núñez smashed home a rebound after Ederson spilled a long-range shot from Szoboszlai. The flag went up, then VAR got involved. Lines all over the screen, fans whistling, players crowding the ref. After a tense delay, the decision stood: offside against Núñez by the tightest of margins. The stadium erupted in fury, and that VAR call became the flashpoint social media could not stop debating.
Second-half chaos: big stars, bigger moments
Whatever JĂĽrgen Klopp said at half-time, it worked. Liverpool came out flying, with Trent Alexander-Arnold stepping into midfield and dictating tempo. In the 55th minute, his quick diagonal found DĂaz on the left. A sharp cut inside, a low cut-back, and this time Núñez timed his run perfectly to slap the ball home at the near post. Darwin Núñez made it 2-1 Liverpool, ripping off towards the corner flag in pure relief after that first-half VAR heartbreak.City, though, just refuse to die. Pep Guardiola shoved Bernardo Silva higher and City started suffocating Liverpool again. On 69 minutes, a short-corner routine caught Liverpool napping. De Bruyne fizzed a cross to the edge of the box, where Phil Foden met it first time, low and hard. It squirmed through bodies, clipped Konaté’s heel and wrong-footed Alisson on its way into the net. Officially credited to Foden, 2-2, and suddenly it felt like City were about to do what City always do: suffocate, then kill.
But this time, the script flipped. With ten minutes left, Klopp rolled the dice, throwing on Cody Gakpo and Harvey Elliott. Liverpool found one last surge. In the 88th minute, Alexander-Arnold pinged a diagonal to the right, Salah cushioned it beautifully, cut inside Josko Gvardiol and unleashed a curling left-foot strike. Ederson parried, but only as far as Cody Gakpo, who reacted quickest and smashed the rebound into the roof of the net. 3-2 Liverpool, Anfield in absolute meltdown.
Haaland had one final half-chance in stoppage time, rising above everyone for a deep cross, but his header flashed just wide. On the night, the Norwegian star was dangerous and clinical when he got service, but Liverpool’s centre-backs did just enough to limit him to that single goal. De Bruyne orchestrated brilliantly at times, but City never fully controlled the chaos. For Liverpool, Salah was pure world-class again – a goal, the shot that led to the winner, and constant fear every time he got the ball. Alexander-Arnold’s hybrid role was risky defensively, but he shaped the game with his passing.
Title race shaken: what this does to the table
With this result, Liverpool leapfrog City in the Premier League standings and crank the pressure up on everyone chasing them. City drop crucial points in a head-to-head that could easily define the title race come May. Arsenal and the other contenders will be watching this one back on repeat, knowing one more slip from either of these giants could open the door.Liverpool’s home form stays insane, while City’s habit of conceding in big away games just will not go away. The gap at the top tightens, goal difference matters, and every single point from here on out feels like gold dust.
What does this mean for the title race? Click here for the live standings
Champions League vibes in a league game
This didn’t just feel like a normal league fixture – it was pure Champions League news energy. Two of Europe’s biggest heavyweights throwing absolutely everything at each other, star power everywhere you looked: Haaland, Salah, De Bruyne, Van Dijk, Foden. The tempo was so high that even the TV cameras could barely keep up with transitions.Haaland’s movement was terrifying at times, constantly pulling Konaté into uncomfortable spaces. Salah, though, stole the show when it mattered, repeatedly isolating his defender and forcing City to over-commit cover. When you stack the big names side by side tonight, Salah edges the battle: not just for his goal, but for the chaos he created and the match-winning involvement late on.
And that VAR offside call on Núñez? That’s the clip everyone is rewinding. Freeze frames, drawn lines, arguments about "clear and obvious" – the debate is spilling over from living rooms to X, Instagram, and everywhere else. Some fans are convinced it was the right call, others are absolutely adamant Liverpool were robbed at 2-1 earlier. In the end, Núñez still got his goal, but that flashpoint will be living rent-free online for days.
The Internet is Exploding: 3 Social Media Highlights
X Discussion: Fans losing it over that razor-thin VAR offside and Salah vs Haaland drama
Reporter's take: this felt like a statement win
From my seat, this wasn't just three points – it was a message. Liverpool showed they can still go toe-to-toe with Guardiola's machine and come out on top when it turns into a street fight. The intensity, the pressing, the way they fed off the crowd – that was vintage Anfield. Salah once again proved he's built for the biggest stages, and Núñez, for all the chaos, delivered in a huge moment.For City, there has to be concern. Yes, Haaland scored, De Bruyne created, Foden delivered, but they looked strangely human under sustained pressure. The defensive line never looked fully settled, and in my opinion, Guardiola left it a bit too late to shore things up after the second equaliser. When you're in a title race this tight, you can't keep giving your biggest rival oxygen in their own stadium.
If Liverpool ride this wave, tonight might be the moment we look back on as the turning point – the night the title race tilted red.
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