Liverpool vs Man City live chaos: late twist rocks Premier League race
02.02.2026 - 23:59:50
Kick-off! As of today, 2026-02-02, the pitch is on fire... The latest round of soccer games just blew a crater in the Premier League title race. Under the Anfield lights, Liverpool squeezed past Manchester City in a 2-1 nail-biter that had everything: Mo Salah back on the scoresheet, Erling Haaland unusually quiet, and a VAR decision in stoppage time that has social media absolutely losing it.
You wanted drama? You got it. From the first whistle, this felt like a statement night. Liverpool flew out like a team that refused to let City dictate the pace, and the intensity was pure chaos in the best way possible.
City answered, but it wasnât Haaland. The equaliser came in the 37th minute when Kevin De Bruyne finally found a pocket of space. He clipped a wicked cross to the back post where Phil Foden ghosted in behind Andy Robertson and smashed a half-volley high into the net. Goal: Phil Foden (37'). Classic City move: sharp, precise, brutal.
But this wasnât Haalandâs night. The Norwegian cyborg had one huge chance on 54 minutes â Bernardo Silva threaded him through, one-on-one with the keeper. Normally youâd already be writing the goal in your notes, but this time his right-footed shot was dragged just wide of the far post. You could see the shock on his face, and the Kop didnât miss its chance to roar that miss back at him all game long.
Liverpoolâs winner was pure Anfield chaos. On 82 minutes, a corner caused mayhem in Cityâs box. Virgil van Dijk rose highest and powered a header that Ederson could only parry. The rebound dropped right into the danger zone and substitute Cody Gakpo reacted quicker than anyone, stabbing it over the line from close range. Goal: Cody Gakpo (82'). The place shook. You could almost feel the camera shaking with the noise.
Erling Haaland, though? Rough night. No goals, one massive miss, and very little service once Liverpool started doubling up on him and cutting off the passing lanes from De Bruyne. On a night when City needed a killer, Haaland looked strangely human.
Kevin De Bruyne was Cityâs heartbeat as usual, knitting things together and delivering that perfect assist for Foden. But even he faded late as Liverpoolâs press got more aggressive and the game tilted towards the home side.
Virgil van Dijk deserves huge credit too. He bullied Haaland in most aerial duels and created the chaos that led to Gakpoâs winner. When Liverpool needed a leader, he stepped right up.
After what felt like an eternity, the referee jogged over to the monitor. Replays showed Manuel Akanji just ahead of the last defender, clipping Alisson as the ball dropped. The decision: offside and interfering with play â goal disallowed. City players surrounded the ref, Guardiola was raging, and X (Twitter) instantly melted down. Liverpool fans are calling it justice; City fans are calling it a robbery. Thatâs the hot topic right now: the stoppage-time VAR call on Diasâs disallowed goal.
Arsenal 3â1 Newcastle United
Arsenal kept their own title hopes breathing with a strong home win. Goals: Bukayo Saka (23'), Gabriel Jesus (41'), Martin Ădegaard (68') for Arsenal, with Alexander Isak (76') pulling one back for Newcastle.
Saka was electric down the right, slicing through defenders and finishing coolly for the opener. Jesus bullied the centre-backs, snaffling a loose ball in the box for Arsenalâs second. Ădegaardâs third was a trademark strike: dropped into space on the edge of the area, one touch to kill it, next touch a drilled low finish into the corner. For Newcastle, Isakâs clever finish was just consolation â he bent his run perfectly and clipped his shot over the keeper, but the game was already slipping away.
Arsenalâs stars report card: Saka was unplayable, Ădegaard ran the show, and Jesus looked like the classic big-game nuisance. On Newcastleâs side, Bruno GuimarĂŁes had flashes, but the midfield got overrun for long spells.
City, on the other hand, looked⊠rattled. Not bad, not broken, but definitely shaken. When Haaland isnât firing and the margins go against them, suddenly they look like a team that can be got at. Guardiola will be fuming about the VAR call, but deep down heâll know his side didnât do enough over the 90 minutes to kill the game off.
If youâre chasing the Premier League live, this is the kind of night that rewrites narratives. Salah reasserted his superstar status, Haaland had one of those rare off days, and the title race just turned into a full sprint to the finish.
Want to see exactly how tonight's madness reshaped the league? This is where it all becomes brutally real:
You wanted drama? You got it. From the first whistle, this felt like a statement night. Liverpool flew out like a team that refused to let City dictate the pace, and the intensity was pure chaos in the best way possible.
Liverpool 2â1 Manchester City: Salah steps up, Haaland fades
Liverpool struck first, and it was the man everyone was watching. In the 19th minute, Trent Alexander-Arnold fizzed a low ball into the channel, Darwin NĂșñez spun off his marker and slipped a neat reverse pass into space. Mohamed Salah did the rest: one touch to steady, second touch a ruthless left-foot finish across the keeper and into the far corner. Goal: Mohamed Salah (19'). Anfield erupted like it was a cup final, and suddenly City were chasing.City answered, but it wasnât Haaland. The equaliser came in the 37th minute when Kevin De Bruyne finally found a pocket of space. He clipped a wicked cross to the back post where Phil Foden ghosted in behind Andy Robertson and smashed a half-volley high into the net. Goal: Phil Foden (37'). Classic City move: sharp, precise, brutal.
But this wasnât Haalandâs night. The Norwegian cyborg had one huge chance on 54 minutes â Bernardo Silva threaded him through, one-on-one with the keeper. Normally youâd already be writing the goal in your notes, but this time his right-footed shot was dragged just wide of the far post. You could see the shock on his face, and the Kop didnât miss its chance to roar that miss back at him all game long.
Liverpoolâs winner was pure Anfield chaos. On 82 minutes, a corner caused mayhem in Cityâs box. Virgil van Dijk rose highest and powered a header that Ederson could only parry. The rebound dropped right into the danger zone and substitute Cody Gakpo reacted quicker than anyone, stabbing it over the line from close range. Goal: Cody Gakpo (82'). The place shook. You could almost feel the camera shaking with the noise.
Big-name verdicts: Heroes and flops
Mohamed Salah looked like vintage Mo again. Every time he cut inside Cityâs back line, you could feel the panic. One goal, several dangerous breaks, and an all-round performance that screamed, "Iâm still that guy."Erling Haaland, though? Rough night. No goals, one massive miss, and very little service once Liverpool started doubling up on him and cutting off the passing lanes from De Bruyne. On a night when City needed a killer, Haaland looked strangely human.
Kevin De Bruyne was Cityâs heartbeat as usual, knitting things together and delivering that perfect assist for Foden. But even he faded late as Liverpoolâs press got more aggressive and the game tilted towards the home side.
Virgil van Dijk deserves huge credit too. He bullied Haaland in most aerial duels and created the chaos that led to Gakpoâs winner. When Liverpool needed a leader, he stepped right up.
VAR shock in stoppage time: the moment everyoneâs arguing about
Deep into added time, we got the moment thatâs basically broken the internet. City thought they had stolen a last-gasp equaliser when Ruben Dias bundled the ball in after a scramble from a free-kick. The away end exploded, Guardiola went wild on the touchline⊠and then the VAR check started.After what felt like an eternity, the referee jogged over to the monitor. Replays showed Manuel Akanji just ahead of the last defender, clipping Alisson as the ball dropped. The decision: offside and interfering with play â goal disallowed. City players surrounded the ref, Guardiola was raging, and X (Twitter) instantly melted down. Liverpool fans are calling it justice; City fans are calling it a robbery. Thatâs the hot topic right now: the stoppage-time VAR call on Diasâs disallowed goal.
What this does to the Premier League table
This result is massive. Liverpoolâs win puts them back in control of the title race and piles serious pressure on City, who suddenly donât look as invincible as usual. With three points swinging towards Anfield instead of being shared â or worse, taken by City â the gap at the top shifts, and the momentum feels completely different now.What does this mean for the title race? Click here for the live standings
Scroll that table and youâll feel it: Liverpool punching up, City suddenly looking over their shoulders, and the rest of the league hanging on every result from here on out.Other key clashes: goals, nerves, and big names everywhere
Elsewhere in todayâs soccer games, the pressure and storylines kept coming thick and fast:Arsenal 3â1 Newcastle United
Arsenal kept their own title hopes breathing with a strong home win. Goals: Bukayo Saka (23'), Gabriel Jesus (41'), Martin Ădegaard (68') for Arsenal, with Alexander Isak (76') pulling one back for Newcastle.
Saka was electric down the right, slicing through defenders and finishing coolly for the opener. Jesus bullied the centre-backs, snaffling a loose ball in the box for Arsenalâs second. Ădegaardâs third was a trademark strike: dropped into space on the edge of the area, one touch to kill it, next touch a drilled low finish into the corner. For Newcastle, Isakâs clever finish was just consolation â he bent his run perfectly and clipped his shot over the keeper, but the game was already slipping away.
Arsenalâs stars report card: Saka was unplayable, Ădegaard ran the show, and Jesus looked like the classic big-game nuisance. On Newcastleâs side, Bruno GuimarĂŁes had flashes, but the midfield got overrun for long spells.
Social Media Spotlight
The Internet is Exploding: 3 Social Media Highlights
X Discussion: Fans losing it over the stoppage-time VAR call on Ruben Dias' disallowed goal
My take: City rattled, Liverpool alive
Hereâs the honest verdict: this felt like a psychological turning point. In my opinion, Liverpool played like a team that believes they can rip the title straight out of Cityâs hands. The press was relentless, the big players showed up, and even when they were pegged back, they didnât fold.City, on the other hand, looked⊠rattled. Not bad, not broken, but definitely shaken. When Haaland isnât firing and the margins go against them, suddenly they look like a team that can be got at. Guardiola will be fuming about the VAR call, but deep down heâll know his side didnât do enough over the 90 minutes to kill the game off.
If youâre chasing the Premier League live, this is the kind of night that rewrites narratives. Salah reasserted his superstar status, Haaland had one of those rare off days, and the title race just turned into a full sprint to the finish.
Closing whistle
So where does that leave us? A Liverpool side roaring back into contention, a City machine stuttering just a little, and Arsenal lurking, praying for more slip-ups. Every set of soccer games from now on is basically a mini-final. One slip, one VAR decision, one screamer from 25 yards â thatâs the difference between glory and collapse.Want to see exactly how tonight's madness reshaped the league? This is where it all becomes brutally real:
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