Liverpool vs Man City goes wild: Anfield thriller shakes title race live

Kick-off! As of today, 2026-01-25, the pitch is on fire... Did you see that Anfield chaos? If you were searching for football results today and somehow missed Liverpool vs Manchester City, stop everything. This was pure Premier League live drama: goals, controversy, superstar showdowns, and a title race shaken right to its core.

Liverpool 3-2 Manchester City – Salah the king, Haaland denied

Anfield under the lights, rain in the air, and two heavyweight managers staring each other down – you just knew this wasn't going to finish 0-0.

Liverpool struck first. On 14 minutes, Mohamed Salah did what Mohamed Salah does: drifting in from the right, one touch to set, then a vicious left-foot curler into the far corner. Ederson at full stretch, no chance. 1-0, and Anfield absolutely exploded.

City reacted fast. In the 27th minute, a slick move found Kevin De Bruyne in space between the lines. One perfectly-weighted pass split the defence and Erling Haaland buried the chance low across Alisson for 1-1. That's now another strike to add to Haaland's insane tally among the top scorers today – he barely needs a second invitation.

But Liverpool came again. Just before half-time, chaos from a corner: Virgil van Dijk rose highest, his header was parried, and Darwin Núñez reacted quickest to stab home from close range in the 44th minute. Classic poacher's goal, classic Núñez mayhem. 2-1 Liverpool at the break and Anfield rocking.

Second-half madness: VAR, screamers and late nerves

The second half turned into a pure adrenaline rush. City thought they were level on 58 minutes when Haaland smashed in another after a Rodri knockdown, but VAR stepped in. After a long check, the assistant's flag and the lines were out: offside by inches. The away end went silent, Haaland just stared at the big screen in disbelief. That VAR drama is exactly what fans are raging about right now on social media.

Instead of 2-2, Liverpool punished City at the other end. On 67 minutes, De Bruyne lost the ball high up the pitch, Liverpool broke at speed, and Salah slipped in Luis Díaz on the left. Díaz cut inside and fired a rocket into the top corner for 3-1. Anfield went absolutely wild. Goal of the night, no question.

City didn't die, though. In the 82nd minute, substitute Phil Foden pulled one back with a low drive from the edge of the box after a neat one-two with Bernardo Silva. 3-2, nerves everywhere, and suddenly it felt like there was another twist coming.

That twist nearly arrived in stoppage time. A deep cross, a scramble, the ball broke to Haaland in the six-yard box... but Alisson threw himself at it and somehow smothered the shot. That was the moment: superstar striker vs world-class keeper, title race on the line, and the Brazilian came out on top. Haaland ends with just the one goal and a huge missed chance, while Salah walks off with a goal, an assist, and man-of-the-match vibes.

Big names checked: heroes & flops

• Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) – One goal, one assist, relentless pressing. When the game went chaotic, he stayed icy cold. Pure world-class.
• Erling Haaland (Man City) – Took his first big chance brilliantly, but the offside VAR call and that stoppage-time miss will haunt him. Not a flop, but not the killer City needed tonight.
• Kevin De Bruyne (Man City) – Gorgeous assist for Haaland, but guilty on the turnover that led to Díaz's screamer. Mixed bag from a normally flawless playmaker.
• Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool) – A rock at the back, dominant in the air, and key to the second goal chaos. When City threw everything at it late on, he was there.

Title race shockwaves – how the table looks now

This isn't just a big result, it's a statement. In terms of the football league table, Liverpool's win pushes them ahead of City and keeps their grip on the top spots, while City now feel the pressure from the chasing pack. Every goal today shakes the live standings: those three points might be the difference between a parade and heartbreak in May.

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 serving chaos. In Spain, Jude Bellingham stayed in the Champions League news conversation with another commanding La Liga performance. Real Madrid saw off stubborn opposition with a 2-0 win: goals from Vinícius Júnior and Rodrygo, while Bellingham dictated tempo, won fouls, and constantly pulled defenders out of position. No goal for him today, but every touch screamed "superstar".

Over in France, Kylian Mbappé did Kylian Mbappé things again. PSG cruised through their league fixture, with Mbappé bagging a brace and an assist in a dominant display. His first was a trademark dart in behind and cool finish; his second, a laser from the edge of the box. With numbers like that, he's right up there in any conversation about top scorers today across Europe.

Social Media Spotlight: Anfield meltdown & VAR rage

Right now, the internet is absolutely obsessed with two things from Anfield: that disallowed Haaland goal and Díaz's thunderbolt. The hashtag to watch is #LIVMCI, and the timelines are split between "VAR robbed City" and "defence asleep on the break" takes.

My take: this felt like a title decider in January

Here's the thing: you don't win the league in January, but nights like this can absolutely define a season. In my opinion, Liverpool showed the one thing City didn't tonight – pure chaos energy. When the game broke open, Liverpool embraced it, while City looked like they wanted control and never quite got it back.

If you're Pep, you're fuming about the defending in transition and that VAR call, but you also have to look at the missed chances. Haaland is a machine, but even machines misfire. Quiet nights from big names can cost titles, and that late miss is going to get replayed over and over.

For Liverpool, this is massive. Salah looks locked in, Díaz is playing like he's got a point to prove every time he touches the ball, and Anfield feels like a weapon again. If they keep this intensity and keep their main stars fit, you absolutely have to call them favourites in this Premier League live title race.

What's next?

With every round, the football results today are twisting the storylines: top scorers chasing golden boots, managers under pressure, and Champions League places on the line. Keep an eye on how tonight's momentum swings into the next fixtures – especially for City, who suddenly can't drop many more points.

Want the full picture of who's climbing, who's collapsing, and who's clinging on to those European spots? The table tells you everything.

Check full stats & standings now

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