Haaland brace, Liverpool drama & La Liga twists: live shockwaves today
09.02.2026 - 06:50:49
Premier League live drama: City crush it, Liverpool hang on
Over in England, the early headline belongs to Manchester City, who smashed a statement win at the Etihad, piling more pressure on the rest of the pack. City ran out 3-1 winners against a stubborn opponent, and of course, the main man was Erling Haaland.
Haaland bagged a ruthless brace, scoring first with a classic poacher's tap-in after a low ball from the right, then adding a second with a thunderbolt left-foot strike from the edge of the box. The other City goal came from Phil Foden, who drifted inside, played a slick one-two and curled a beauty into the top corner. The visitors' only reply was a consolation from their No. 9, who finished a counter-attack late on, but it never really felt like City were in danger.
Haaland looked like he was back in full cyborg mode – bullying centre-backs, making those deadly near-post runs, and generally playing like the Golden Boot race is personal. Kevin De Bruyne pulled the strings again, slipping Haaland through repeatedly, while Foden was the street-footballer City absolutely love when games get tight.
At Anfield, meanwhile, Liverpool clung onto a wild 2-1 victory that felt more like a survival test than a routine home win. Mohamed Salah opened the scoring with a trademark left-foot rocket after cutting in from the right, sending the Kop absolutely insane. Midway through the second half, a scrappy ball fell to Darwin Núñez who stabbed home what proved to be the winner.
But it wasn't smooth. The away side thought they'd equalised late on after a loose ball was smashed in from close range, only for VAR to step in. A tight offside check went Liverpool's way – we're talking boots and blades of grass here – and the goal was ruled out, sparking furious debate everywhere from the stands to social media.
Salah was sharp, constantly a threat in behind, but he also missed a huge one-on-one he normally buries. Still, one big goal and 90 minutes of chaos later, he walks off the pitch as one of the heroes of the day.
La Liga spotlight: Bellingham the difference-maker again
In Spain, Real Madrid kept their grip on the top spot thanks to another big night from Jude Bellingham. Madrid edged a 2-1 win at the Bernabéu, and yes, once again, it was Bellingham dragging them up a level when it mattered.
The opener came from VinĂcius JĂşnior, who latched onto a clipped ball over the top, danced past his marker and slid a cool finish under the keeper. Then Bellingham took over. Drifting into that classic second striker pocket, he timed a late run into the box perfectly, smashing home after a cut-back from the right for Madrid's second.
The visitors pulled one back with a clinical header from a corner by their centre-back, setting up a nervy final 15 minutes. Bellingham dropped deeper, helped Madrid fight for every second ball, and still found time to spring a counter or two. He was everywhere – leader, playmaker, finisher. World-class vibes all over again.
Kylian Mbappé, meanwhile, wasn't on today's main stage in La Liga or the Champions League slate, so the spotlight really belonged to the Englishman in white. If there were still any doubters, they probably switched off by full-time.
Title race context: every point is gold dust
City's win keeps the pressure cranked all the way up at the top of the Premier League, while Liverpool's nervy three points mean they stay right in the mix instead of dropping costly points at home. It's one of those days where the top sides answered the bell, and the chasing pack just felt that little bit further away as the final whistles blew.
Over in Spain, Real Madrid's victory, powered by VinĂcius and Bellingham, stabilises their lead and makes life harder for anyone hoping for a late twist in the La Liga title chase.
What does this mean for the title race? Click here for the live standings
Key scenes you'll be talking about all night
- Haaland's second goal – he shrugged off his marker, took one touch out of his feet and absolutely detonated a left-foot strike into the top corner. No keeper in the world is getting close to that.
- Salah's opener – classic Mo. Right flank, cut inside, defender on skates, then a vicious curler bending away from the keeper. You've seen it a hundred times, it still looks unstoppable.
- VAR chaos at Anfield – the would-be equaliser looked good live. Stadium goes silent, referee fingers to the ear, long check, lines drawn, then the big screen says: NO GOAL. Away fans in meltdown, home fans absolutely roaring like they'd just scored again.
- Bellingham's late run – timing is everything. He ghosted in from deep, completely unmarked, and you just knew where the ball was going. First time, smashed low, net ripples, Bernabéu erupts.
Social Media Spotlight
Online, one theme is absolutely everywhere: that VAR call in Liverpool's game. Neutral fans are split, Liverpool fans are posting freeze-frames, and the away support is fuming. The hashtag #LIVVAR is flying around X with clip after clip of the incident from every angle.
The Internet is Exploding: 3 Social Media Highlights
X Discussion: Fans furious over that razor-thin VAR offside call
My take: elite teams, tiny margins
From where I'm sitting, this feels like one of those days we'll look back on when titles are getting handed out. City were brutal – Haaland looked like he never left the training ground this week, just clinical and cold. That's the kind of performance that wins leagues in April and May.
Liverpool, on the other hand, flirted with disaster. Huge credit for grinding it out, but you can't keep giving teams life like that and expect to breeze to trophies. The VAR call went their way today, but if they keep defending that loosely late on, it won't always be so kind.
In Spain, Bellingham is basically playing main-character football every single matchday. It's getting ridiculous now. When Madrid wobble, he steadies them. When they need a goal, he's there. When they need calm, he drops in and dictates. That's not just star quality, that's captain-in-waiting energy.
Final whistle: don't blink, the races are on
If today proved anything, it's that every slip, every marginal VAR call, every Haaland rocket and every Bellingham late run could be the difference between parades and heartbreak at the end of the season. The football results today didn't just fill the scorelines – they rewired the pressure at the top.
Want to see how all of this reshapes the title picture and European spots in real time?
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@ ad-hoc-news.de
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