Liverpool, City

Liverpool vs Man City live chaos: Salah, Haaland & a title-race twist

10.02.2026 - 21:27:52

Liverpool edge Man City in a fierce Premier League clash as Salah delivers, Haaland misfires, and the title race explodes. Did VAR get the key call right?

Kick-off! As of today, 2026-02-10, the pitch is on fire... You wanted wild soccer games, you got them. Anfield just served up a Premier League live classic as Liverpool squeezed past Manchester City 2-1 in a game that flipped the title race on its head and lit up every timeline on the planet.

From the first whistle this felt like Champions League news-level drama, not just another league fixture. The intensity, the noise, the tackles – you could almost feel the cameras shaking. And at the heart of it all? Mohamed Salah and Erling Haaland, two of the biggest names in world football, writing totally different chapters tonight.

Liverpool 2-1 Man City – Salah shines, Haaland struggles

This one had everything you want from top-tier soccer games: early goals, tactical chess, a bit of needle, and a late VAR call everyone is screaming about.

City actually drew first blood. On 18 minutes, Kevin De Bruyne slipped one of those trademark through-balls between the lines, and Phil Foden did the rest – cutting in from the left and curling a gorgeous right-footed strike into the far corner. Alisson got a glove, but not enough. 1-0 City, and suddenly the away end was bouncing.

Liverpool’s response was pure chaos energy. Jürgen Klopp’s side pushed their full-backs high, pressed like their lives depended on it, and just before the break they got their reward. Trent Alexander-Arnold fizzed a cross to the back post, Darwin Núñez nodded it down into traffic, and who else but Mohamed Salah reacted first, smashing home from close range on 42 minutes. 1-1, Anfield exploding, Salah roaring at the Kop. Huge moment in the match report and the highlight reels for sure.

Second half, same madness. City tried to slow the tempo, but Liverpool’s counter-press kept forcing mistakes. Erling Haaland actually had two big chances: one on 54 minutes where he broke the line, only to drag his left-footed shot wide, and another on 67 minutes where his header from a De Bruyne cross went straight at Alisson. For a striker who usually lives on top scorers today lists, this was one of those nights where nothing fully clicked. Not a total flop, but nowhere near his terrifying best.

And then came the winner – and the controversy. Minute 79, Liverpool break down the left, Luis Díaz drives at his marker, cuts inside and unleashes a low shot. Ederson spills it, the ball pops loose, and Dominik Szoboszlai arrives on the edge of the box to absolutely thunder a right-foot rocket into the top corner. 2-1 Liverpool, net bulging, Anfield in complete meltdown.

City players surrounded the referee straight away, convinced there had been a foul on Rodri in the build-up. VAR checked it for what felt like an eternity – this is the exact moment blowing up on social media – but the on-field decision stood. Goal given, 2-1, and Pep Guardiola almost exploded on the touchline.

Heroes, flops, and big-name verdicts

Mohamed Salah was a monster tonight. One goal, constant movement, always dragging defenders around. He might not have topped the overall shot count, but every time he got the ball you felt danger. In games like this, where the football league table swings on tiny margins, that presence is priceless.

Dominik Szoboszlai was arguably man of the match. Beyond his winning goal, he pressed like a machine and linked play beautifully. You can see why Liverpool built so much of their midfield rebuild around him – this felt like a statement performance in a huge fixture.

On the other side, Erling Haaland will not want to rewatch this. Two big missed chances, limited service, and Liverpool’s centre-backs defended him aggressively, sometimes on the edge of what’s allowed. Not a disaster, but for a player who lives on ridiculous numbers, this was a rare off night when City badly needed his usual clinical edge.

Kevin De Bruyne was City’s main spark – his assist for Foden was pure class, and he kept trying to force openings – but he faded as Liverpool’s energy took over. Once City lost control of midfield, even he struggled to drag them back into it.

Title race shockwaves – where does this leave the table?

This result is massive for the Premier League live narrative. Liverpool leapfrog City in the football league table, turning what looked like a City-controlled race into a real scrap. The gap at the top shrinks, and suddenly every upcoming matchday feels like a mini-final.

Liverpool’s win tightens the pack and puts huge pressure on City’s next fixtures. Drop more points, and the door swings wide open for the chasing clubs. Meanwhile, that Szoboszlai winner will be replayed all week whenever people talk about turning points in the season.

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


Social Media Spotlight: VAR rage, Salah love, Haaland debates

The online reaction is absolutely crazy right now. Clips of Szoboszlai’s screamer and the VAR check are everywhere, and fans are properly split: Liverpool fans calling it justice, City fans calling it robbery.

Scroll through the hashtag and you’ll see everything from slow-motion angle breakdowns of the supposed foul on Rodri to Liverpool fans posting Salah comps like it’s a Ballon d’Or campaign. Haaland’s performance is catching heat too – some City fans are asking why he didn’t drop deeper to get involved when the service dried up.

Young reporter take: brutal honesty time

My opinion? This was a statement from Liverpool and a warning to everyone else. Tactically, Klopp nailed it: super-aggressive pressing, brave high line, and full belief in his forwards to make chaos count. City didn’t play badly, but they looked… human. And for a team that usually slices through pressure, that’s a big deal.

Pep can complain about the VAR call – and honestly, you can see why he’s angry, there’s definitely contact on Rodri – but City had chances to kill this off and didn’t. When you’ve got Haaland, Foden and De Bruyne on the pitch, you expect at least one more ruthless finish. They didn’t find it, Liverpool did. That’s the margins at this level.

If Liverpool keep this intensity, we’re absolutely in for a title race that goes down to the final weeks. And if City don’t react fast, we might look back at tonight as the night the door was kicked open for someone else to steal their crown.

Closing whistle – and what's next?

So where does this leave us? The title race is boiling, the top scorers today charts got a fresh Salah entry, and the football league table just got a spicy new look. Every upcoming round now feels like a must-watch for anyone even remotely into soccer news.

If you’re trying to make sense of all the chaos – who’s top, who’s chasing, and who absolutely cannot afford to slip next weekend – the numbers tell the story.

Check full stats & standings now


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@ ad-hoc-news.de

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