Liverpool vs Man City live thriller: Salah, Haaland & a wild title twist

Kick-off! As of today, 2026-02-10, the pitch is on fire... Liverpool and Manchester City just served up one of those soccer games you’ll be talking about all week. Anfield shook, stars delivered, nerves cracked – and the Premier League title race just went full chaos mode.

Red storm at Anfield: Liverpool 3–2 Manchester City

Did you see that?? From the first whistle this felt different. Two heavyweight coaches going punch for punch, two superstar number 9s trading goals, and one late winner that might live in Liverpool clips for years.

City actually drew first blood. On 18 minutes, Kevin De Bruyne slid a filthy through ball between the lines, and of course it was Erling Haaland who punished Liverpool – one touch to set, one thunderous left-foot strike across the keeper for 0–1. That’s Haaland in a nutshell: half a chance, full punishment.

Liverpool’s response? Pure chaos energy. On 31 minutes, Mohamed Salah timed his run perfectly onto a diagonal from Trent Alexander-Arnold. His first touch killed the ball, his second sent it low into the far corner. 1–1, Anfield erupting, Salah doing that calm, cold celebration while the stadium melted around him.

Right before half-time came the first big flashpoint. City thought they had a penalty when Haaland went down under a challenge from Virgil van Dijk. The ref pointed to the spot, but VAR jumped in. After a long check – and a full stadium howling – the decision was overturned, judged as minimal contact and Haaland initiating it. X is already a war zone over that call.

Second-half madness: worldies, mistakes, and a kid’s dream moment

As the second half kicked off, the tempo somehow went up another level. On 54 minutes, Liverpool took the lead in ridiculous fashion. A corner was half-cleared, the ball dropped to Dominik Szoboszlai about 25 yards out, and he just leathered it. The strike dipped viciously, clipping the underside of the bar before crashing in. 2–1, absolute screamer.

City, though, never go away. Just 12 minutes later, they were level. De Bruyne swung in a trademark whipped free-kick, Liverpool’s line stepped late, and Rúben Dias rose highest to glance a header into the far corner for 2–2. You could almost feel the breath leaving the home fans for a second.

Then came the moment the internet is melting over. On 82 minutes, with both teams stretched, Liverpool manager rolled the dice and kept his forwards high. A quick transition saw Salah drift inside, drag two defenders, and slip a cute reverse pass into space for teenager Ben Doak. One touch, then a nerveless finish under the keeper for 3–2. A 19-year-old deciding a game of this size? That’s career-launch stuff.

City piled on in stoppage time, and Haaland nearly stole a point with a near-post volley that Alisson somehow clawed away. Final whistle: 3–2 Liverpool, and Anfield erupted like a cup final.

Stars check-in: Who showed up, who faded?

• Mohamed Salah – One goal, one assist, and constant menace. His movement between the lines shredded City’s backline. Not the fastest he’s ever looked, but easily one of the smartest performances you’ll see from him. Absolute leader.
• Erling Haaland – Lethal opener, almost rescued it late. But he’ll be raging about that overturned penalty. He lived on the edge of Liverpool’s line all night, but aside from the goal and that last chance, van Dijk and Konaté kept him pretty quiet.
• Kevin De Bruyne – Two big contributions: the assist for Haaland and the delivery for Dias’s header. Still the brain of this City side. Faded a bit in the final 15 minutes as Liverpool’s press ramped up, but his touch and vision are still alien level.
• Virgil van Dijk – Rock. He had that one scary VAR moment with the penalty shout, but otherwise he dominated the box and won almost everything in the air. Late on, he threw himself in front of a Haaland shot that looked destined for the corner.

Title race shockwaves: how big is this result?

This win doesn’t just give Liverpool bragging rights; it potentially flips the whole Premier League season. City, who came in either level or just ahead depending on your last refresh, suddenly find themselves chasing. Liverpool’s three points here could be the exact swing we remember if the title is decided by a single win in May.

Liverpool’s attack looks fearless, their young guns like Ben Doak adding chaos to the experience of Salah and Szoboszlai. City, meanwhile, look a touch vulnerable when pressed high, especially with Rodri having a rare off night under constant pressure.

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

Elsewhere in Europe: Bellingham & Mbappé keep Champions League noise loud

While England was losing its mind over Anfield, the rest of Europe wasn’t exactly quiet. In Spain, Jude Bellingham once again decided he’s the main character. He scored for Real Madrid in a 2–0 league win – a late run into the box, classic Bellingham timing, and a composed finish inside the near post. He also hit the bar with a curling effort that had the Bernabéu holding its breath.

Over in France, Kylian Mbappé kept the Champions League news cycle buzzing with a brace in PSG’s 3–1 league win. One penalty – smashed high and central – and one outrageous solo goal where he skinned two defenders on the left before rolling it past the keeper. When Mbappé plays like this, it feels like he’s prepping a highlight reel specifically for knockout season.

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Reporter’s take: brutal honesty time

I’m just going to say it: this felt like a statement night from Liverpool and a warning light for City.

For Liverpool, the blend of experience and fearless youth is scary. Salah was vintage, Szoboszlai looks every bit like a big-game player, and Ben Doak dropping a clutch winner in a title six-pointer? That’s how new heroes are born. The tactical bravery to keep pressing even at 2–2 instead of settling for a draw was huge – and it paid off.

For City, it’s not panic time, but it’s definitely wake-up-call territory. When they’re forced into a physical, emotional, high-tempo battle, they don’t look as untouchable as in previous seasons. Haaland will dominate the headlines for the goal and the penalty shout, but the bigger issue was how often Liverpool carved into the space around Rodri. If rivals are watching – and they are – that blueprint is getting screenshotted in every analysis room.

In my opinion, if City don’t tighten up that midfield screen and find a way to calm games down away from home, this could be the year someone finally rips the title out of their hands.

What’s next?

The title race is now officially unmissable. Every set of weekend soccer games just got a little more intense, every dropped point a potential season-definer. With Champions League knockouts looming and squads about to be stretched, this might just be the night we look back on as the swing moment.

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