Liverpool v Man City goes wild: late twist, Haaland & Salah under the lights â LIVE
11.02.2026 - 01:11:15Liverpool 3-2 Manchester City â Title Race Fireworks
This felt like May in February. From the first whistle, both sides went full throttle. Manchester City struck first: in the 18th minute, Erling Haaland bullied his way between the centre-backs, took a sharp touch on the edge of the box and ripped a low left-foot drive into the bottom corner. Classic Haaland â one half-chance, one ruthless finish.
Liverpool needed a spark and got it from their skipper. On 32 minutes, Virgil van Dijk rose highest on a corner, powering a header that Ederson could only parry. Darwin NĂșñez reacted first, smashing in the rebound from close range to make it 1-1 and send Anfield absolutely wild.
After the break, City tried to slow the tempo, but a moment of pure quality flipped it. In the 57th minute, Mohamed Salah drifted inside from the right, swapped a slick one-two with Dominik Szoboszlai and curled an outrageous left-foot shot into the far top corner. Vintage Salah, 2-1 Liverpool, and the stadium shook.
City, though, never die quietly. Kevin De Bruyne, making everything tick, whipped in a devilish free-kick on 71 minutes and RĂșben Dias snuck in at the back post to stab home for 2-2. Cue away-end limbs, cue âhere we go againâ energy.
And then the controversy. On 84 minutes, NĂșñez went down in the box under a tangle with JoĆĄko Gvardiol. The ref waved play on, but VAR buzzed in. After a long, tense review with both benches losing their minds, the on-field decision was overturned: penalty Liverpool. City players surrounded the referee, Pep was losing it on the touchline, social media instantly exploded.
Who else steps up? Salah. Calm as you like, 88th minute, sends Ederson the wrong way, bottom right corner for 3-2. Anfield erupts, City collapse in disbelief, and the title race swings hard in Liverpoolâs favour.
Heroes & Flops: The Big Names Under the Microscope
Mohamed Salah â Certified clutch. Two goals â one wonder strike, one ice-cold penalty â plus constant menace on that right flank. His hold-up play, his decision-making in transition, everything screamed big-game player. If youâre talking top scorers today in Europeâs big clashes, Salahâs right up there.
Erling Haaland â Deadly but isolated. He smashed in that opener like a machine, but as the game stretched, Liverpoolâs midfield pressed the life out of Cityâs build-up. Haaland had to drop deeper and got fewer touches where it really hurts. One chance, one goal, but not enough to drag City over the line.
Kevin De Bruyne â Genius delivery, fading legs. His assist for Dias was pure art, and he created two more huge chances that went begging. But in the last 20 minutes, Liverpoolâs energy and press started smothering him; he couldnât dictate the tempo like he usually does at Anfield.
Defensive chaos on both sides. Van Dijk was dominant in the air but still looked uncomfortable tracking Haaland when City went direct. For City, Gvardiol and Dias had a nightmare with Salahâs movement inside-out; once Liverpool started flooding the half-spaces, they were scrambling.
What It Means for the Football League Table
This result is massive. Liverpoolâs win puts them clear at the top of the Premier League, while City slip further back and suddenly feel a bit human in this title race. With Arsenal and others lurking, every dropped point is a mini-disaster for Guardiolaâs side.
Right now, the football results today donât just tell a story â they redraw the map for the run-in. Cityâs margin for error is gone; Liverpool just planted a big red flag on top of the division.
What does this mean for the title race? Click here for the live standings
Elsewhere in Europe â Champions League Contenders Flexing
Across the continent, the Champions League news and build-up are shaped by tonightâs domestic form. Arsenal cruised to a professional win with a 2-0 at home, thanks to goals from Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus. Saka hammered in a low drive from the edge of the box after cutting in from the right, while Jesus poked home from close range after a scramble in the six-yard area. Both looked sharp, both looked ready for midweek European chaos.
In La Liga, Jude Bellingham once again bossed it for Real Madrid. He scored a late header from a VinĂcius JĂșnior cross to seal a 2-1 comeback win, keeping Madridâs momentum rolling. Bellinghamâs timing into the box is ridiculous at this point â defenders know itâs coming and still canât stop it.
Meanwhile, over in Ligue 1, Kylian MbappĂ© was more creator than finisher in PSGâs narrow 1-0 win, setting up the only goal with a blistering run and a cutback that Ousmane DembĂ©lĂ© buried. MbappĂ© missed a big one-on-one that wouldâve killed the game, so itâs hero-and-human in one performance.
Social Media Spotlight â Liverpool v Man City
While the managers were fuming and the players were collapsing on the turf, the internet went nuclear over that late penalty and Salahâs nerves of steel.
The Internet is Exploding: 3 Social Media Highlights
X Discussion: Fans raging and arguing non-stop over that late VAR penalty call
My Take: This Felt Like a Title Decider
Honestly, this didnât feel like just another February fixture â it felt like the moment the Premier League season tilted. In my opinion, City completely lost their heads after the VAR call. For all the talk about mentality monsters, it was Liverpool who kept their cool when it mattered.
Salah was world-class, full stop. Big stage, big pressure, and he delivers twice. On the flip side, Pepâs game management has to be questioned: once it hit 2-2, City dropped into a weird half-press, neither compact nor aggressive, and invited Liverpoolâs chaos merchants right onto their box.
If this is the night Liverpool really believe the title is theirs to lose, then Cityâs margin of error is gone. Theyâre going to need Haaland and De Bruyne at absolute monster levels from here on out, especially with Champions League knockouts looming and the schedule getting nasty.
What's Next â Don't Blink
With these football results today, the run-in just got ultra-volatile. Every weekend from here is basically a mini-final for the top sides. The football league table is going to swing hard with every draw and every late winner.
If you want to track who's climbing, who's collapsing, and how much damage tonight did to City's title hopes, you need to keep an eye on the live table.
Check full stats & standings now
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@ ad-hoc-news.de
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