Liverpool vs Man City Live: Haaland denied late as title race explodes
10.02.2026 - 20:21:45
Kick-off! As of today, 2026-02-10, the pitch is on fire... You wanted chaos in your soccer games, you got it: Liverpool and Manchester City just served up another Premier League classic at Anfield, a 2-2 draw that felt like a final, shook the title race, and lit up every timeline on the planet.
From the first whistle it was pure electricity. City hit first through Erling Haaland, Liverpool roared back with Mohamed Salah, and the drama just kept punching holes in your pulse for 90 minutes. If you blinked, you missed a counter, a crunching tackle, or another angle of that controversial VAR offside.
Liverpool’s response was savage. Jürgen Klopp pushed his front line higher, and the press started to suffocate City’s back four. On 31 minutes, the equaliser finally came. Trent Alexander-Arnold fizzed a diagonal into the half-space, Darwin Núñez bullied his marker with a cushioned layoff, and Mohamed Salah hammered a left-foot rocket into the top corner. 1–1, net barely moved, and Anfield absolutely exploded. That’s Salah in full superhero mode again, dragging Liverpool back when it matters most.
And then, VAR took centre stage. On 69 minutes, Haaland thought he’d made it 1–3 from close range after a scramble from a corner. The stadium scoreboard flashed the goal, City players celebrated, and Liverpool fans looked broken… until the VAR check. After a long, agonising delay, the replay showed Manuel Akanji marginally offside in the build-up, blocking the keeper’s vision. Decision: goal disallowed. The noise when that was overturned felt like a third Liverpool goal, and you could see Pep Guardiola absolutely fuming on the touchline. That energy swung the game. Just five minutes later, Liverpool punched back. Alexis Mac Allister pinged a ball wide to Luis DĂaz, who had been buzzing all half. The Colombian cut in, combined with Núñez on a slick one-two, and smashed a low shot into the near corner. Goal: Luis DĂaz. Liverpool 2–2 Manchester City. This place went wild – flares, limbs, pure pandemonium.
On the Liverpool side, Luis DĂaz might secretly be the man of the match. Constant chaos out wide, a ruthless equaliser, and a nightmare for Kyle Walker every time he turned and ran.
If you want to see just how insane this title charge looks right now – goal differences, games in hand, and who’s breathing down their necks – it’s all live on the league table.
In Ligue 1, Kylian Mbappé was, well, Kylian Mbappé. PSG’s captain smashed a brace in a 3–0 win: the first a trademark sprint in behind, one-on-one finish; the second a curling effort from the left edge of the box. A late penalty shout for the opposition sparked some VAR drama, but the decision stood in PSG’s favour. On current form, Mbappé looks like he’s in permanent Ballon d’Or audition mode.
In my opinion, City will quietly hate this result. They had Liverpool wobbling after Foden made it 1–2, and if Haaland buries that late header or VAR doesn't intervene, we're talking about a signature City away win in the title race. Instead, they walk away wondering how they let Liverpool off the hook.
For Liverpool, this feels like a survival mission passed. Salah turned up big, DĂaz delivered, and the crowd carried them through the darkest spell of the second half. Defensively they still flirted with disaster, and if they want to stay top all the way, they can't give De Bruyne that much space again. But mentally? This is a massive tick. They stared down the champions and didn't blink.
If you're trying to make sense of it all – who's top, who's chasing, and who absolutely can't drop points next week – you need to live inside the table for a bit.
From the first whistle it was pure electricity. City hit first through Erling Haaland, Liverpool roared back with Mohamed Salah, and the drama just kept punching holes in your pulse for 90 minutes. If you blinked, you missed a counter, a crunching tackle, or another angle of that controversial VAR offside.
Liverpool 2–2 Manchester City: Haaland vs Salah, heavyweight showdown
This was billed as the biggest of all soccer games this season, and it absolutely delivered. City struck early: on 18 minutes, Kevin De Bruyne slipped a delicious through ball between the lines, and Erling Haaland did what Erling Haaland does. One touch out of his feet, second touch a ruthless low finish across the keeper into the far corner. 0–1 City, Haaland on the scoresheet again, and Anfield stunned for about five seconds.Liverpool’s response was savage. Jürgen Klopp pushed his front line higher, and the press started to suffocate City’s back four. On 31 minutes, the equaliser finally came. Trent Alexander-Arnold fizzed a diagonal into the half-space, Darwin Núñez bullied his marker with a cushioned layoff, and Mohamed Salah hammered a left-foot rocket into the top corner. 1–1, net barely moved, and Anfield absolutely exploded. That’s Salah in full superhero mode again, dragging Liverpool back when it matters most.
Second-half fireworks: Foden magic, DĂaz reply
City came out after the break like a team obsessed with three points. The tempo jumped, the tackles sharpened, and on 57 minutes we got pure Phil Foden artistry. De Bruyne again found a pocket of space, squared it to Phil Foden, who chopped inside onto his left and curled one beyond the keeper into the far top corner. 1–2 City, a gorgeous goal and a proper big-game statement from Foden, who’s slowly turning into City’s clutch man on these nights.And then, VAR took centre stage. On 69 minutes, Haaland thought he’d made it 1–3 from close range after a scramble from a corner. The stadium scoreboard flashed the goal, City players celebrated, and Liverpool fans looked broken… until the VAR check. After a long, agonising delay, the replay showed Manuel Akanji marginally offside in the build-up, blocking the keeper’s vision. Decision: goal disallowed. The noise when that was overturned felt like a third Liverpool goal, and you could see Pep Guardiola absolutely fuming on the touchline. That energy swung the game. Just five minutes later, Liverpool punched back. Alexis Mac Allister pinged a ball wide to Luis DĂaz, who had been buzzing all half. The Colombian cut in, combined with Núñez on a slick one-two, and smashed a low shot into the near corner. Goal: Luis DĂaz. Liverpool 2–2 Manchester City. This place went wild – flares, limbs, pure pandemonium.
Stars under the spotlight: heroes, nearly-men, and one frustrated cyborg
Erling Haaland looked like a machine in the first hour: one goal, constant runs behind, bullying centre-backs. But that disallowed second sucked the life out of his night. You could see the frustration – hands on hips, shaking his head both at the VAR and at himself for missing a late header from a Jack Grealish cross. Mohamed Salah, meanwhile, was pure captain energy. One thunderbolt goal, another golden chance dragged just wide, and nonstop graft in the press. He didn’t get the winner, but every Liverpool attack felt like it went through his boots at some point. In moments like these, Salah still looks like the Premier League’s most inevitable man. Kevin De Bruyne was vintage: two assists, passing like a cheat code, and dropping into pockets that Liverpool just couldn’t shut down consistently. Yet even with his genius, City walked away with only a point – that’s how razor-thin the margins are at this level.On the Liverpool side, Luis DĂaz might secretly be the man of the match. Constant chaos out wide, a ruthless equaliser, and a nightmare for Kyle Walker every time he turned and ran.
Title race twist: one point that changes everything
This draw feels huge. City came in just a point behind Liverpool at the top; leaving with only a draw keeps the Reds ahead but makes the gap razor-thin. It’s not the knockout punch either side wanted, but it’s a massive body blow in a season where every point looks like gold dust.If you want to see just how insane this title charge looks right now – goal differences, games in hand, and who’s breathing down their necks – it’s all live on the league table.
What does this mean for the title race? Click here for the live standings
With Arsenal and the rest lurking, this single point could be the exact moment we look back on in May and say: that’s where the race tilted.Elsewhere in Europe: Bellingham and Mbappé keep stealing headlines
Over in La Liga, Jude Bellingham stayed on his ridiculous hot streak for Real Madrid. He bagged another goal – a smart late run into the box and calm finish – as Madrid ground out a 2–1 win, with VinĂcius JĂşnior also on the scoresheet. He wasn’t flawless, missed one big chance at the back post, but when the game needed someone to decide it, Bellingham stepped straight into the spotlight again.In Ligue 1, Kylian MbappĂ© was, well, Kylian MbappĂ©. PSG’s captain smashed a brace in a 3–0 win: the first a trademark sprint in behind, one-on-one finish; the second a curling effort from the left edge of the box. A late penalty shout for the opposition sparked some VAR drama, but the decision stood in PSG’s favour. On current form, MbappĂ© looks like he’s in permanent Ballon d’Or audition mode.
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My take: this felt like a Champions League semi in February
From where I'm sitting, this wasn't just another league game – this was straight-up Champions League energy, squeezed into a domestic showdown. The quality was ridiculous, the intensity was off the charts, and every tiny detail felt like it might tilt the whole season.In my opinion, City will quietly hate this result. They had Liverpool wobbling after Foden made it 1–2, and if Haaland buries that late header or VAR doesn't intervene, we're talking about a signature City away win in the title race. Instead, they walk away wondering how they let Liverpool off the hook.
For Liverpool, this feels like a survival mission passed. Salah turned up big, DĂaz delivered, and the crowd carried them through the darkest spell of the second half. Defensively they still flirted with disaster, and if they want to stay top all the way, they can't give De Bruyne that much space again. But mentally? This is a massive tick. They stared down the champions and didn't blink.
Closing whistle: the race is officially unhinged
So where does that leave us? Haaland scored, Salah scored, Foden produced magic, DĂaz lit up the Kop, and yet nobody fully landed the knockout. The title race is still wide open, and every single upcoming round of soccer games just got wrapped in even more tension.If you're trying to make sense of it all – who's top, who's chasing, and who absolutely can't drop points next week – you need to live inside the table for a bit.
Check full stats & standings now
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