Liverpool vs Man City thriller goes wild: Jota, De Bruyne & title race live

Kick-off! As of today, 2026-02-08, the pitch is on fire... You wanted football results today? You got absolute chaos. The headline act: a breathless clash at Anfield where Liverpool squeezed past Manchester City 3-2 in a game that swung the Premier League live title race wide open and sent social media into meltdown.

Football results today: Liverpool 3-2 Man City – pure madness

This one had everything. End-to-end waves, big names misfiring, unlikely heroes, and a finale that felt like a Champions League night.

Liverpool flew out like they’d been shot out of a cannon. On 9 minutes, Diogo Jota darted across the near post and smashed home a low cross from Trent Alexander-Arnold to make it 1-0. Anfield erupted – this was the tone-setter.

City, though, don’t panic. On 26 minutes, Kevin De Bruyne slipped into that half-space he owns, collected a cute pass from Bernardo Silva and rifled a left-footed shot into the bottom corner. 1-1, classic KDB, ice-cold.

And then came the first twist. Just before half-time, Liverpool pounced on a loose touch from Rúben Dias. Darwin Núñez raced through, rounded Ederson and rolled in from a tight angle for 2-1. The place went wild – Núñez chest out, shushing the doubters, while City players screamed for offside.

VAR drama: offside lines, tension, and fury

Here’s where the hot topic of the night was born. City were convinced Núñez had gone a split second early. We got the full VAR spectacle: freeze-frame, pixel-thin lines, players pacing. After a long check, the goal stood. The X feed went nuclear – half of football calling it a robbery, the other half saying the lines are the lines.

Haaland & Salah: giants who blinked

On a night stacked with star power, two of the biggest names – Erling Haaland and Mohamed Salah – walked off frustrated.

• Erling Haaland had one massive chance at 1-1: a De Bruyne whipped ball that found him six yards out. Somehow, he powered his header over the bar. For a guy who usually buries those with his eyes closed, it felt like a turning point.
• Mohamed Salah had his big moment from the spot at 2-1. After Núñez was clipped by Joško Gvardiol, Liverpool won a penalty. Salah stepped up, stuttered… and dragged it wide of the post. Total disbelief. Cameras caught him staring at the turf, stunned.

On the biggest stage, both global superstars were more human than heroic tonight – and that’s exactly what everyone is arguing about online.

Second-half chaos: late goals, late nerves

The second half started cagey, but by the final 20 minutes it was pure chaos again.

On 71 minutes, City hit back. Phil Foden, quiet for most of the game, suddenly exploded into life. He drove inside from the left and lashed a shot that was parried by Alisson, only for Julián Álvarez to react first and poke in the rebound for 2-2. City’s bench went mental; Pep was bouncing on the touchline.

But Liverpool weren’t done. On 84 minutes, the winning goal arrived – and it was all about energy and instinct. Sub Harvey Elliott slipped a clever ball into the channel, Núñez cut it back first-time, and Diogo Jota crashed in his second of the night from close range. 3-2. Anfield shook. Jota, man of the moment, sprinted to the corner flag, fists pumping.

City piled everyone forward in stoppage time – even Ederson came up for a corner – but Liverpool threw bodies at everything. One last bouncing ball nearly fell to Haaland, but Virgil van Dijk stretched a telescopic leg to hook it clear. Final whistle. Arms raised. Absolute bedlam.

Title race shockwave: Liverpool climb, City wobble

So what do these football results today do to the football league table and the title picture? Liverpool’s win drags them right back into the fight. They leapfrog City and crank up the pressure on the leaders going into the run-in. City, normally ice-cool in these big showdowns, suddenly look a touch vulnerable – not clinical enough in both boxes, and punished by a ruthless Anfield.

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

Top scorers today: Jota’s brace, KDB’s statement, Núñez chaos factor

In a match stacked with firepower, these were the headline contributions:

• Diogo Jota (Liverpool) – 2 goals (9', 84'). Clinical, relentless, always in the right place.
• Darwin Núñez (Liverpool) – 1 goal (45'), 1 assist (84'), won the penalty. Pure chaos, pure impact.
• Kevin De Bruyne (Man City) – 1 goal (26'). Pulled strings all afternoon and tried to drag City back by himself.
• Julián Álvarez (Man City) – 1 goal (71'). Fox-in-the-box instincts, kept City alive.

Haaland and Salah might dominate the billboards, but tonight was about the supporting cast stepping up when it mattered.

Social Media Spotlight – fans losing it over VAR & missed chances

The Premier League live conversation online is just as wild as the action. The official hashtag #LIVMCI is a full-on warzone of VAR screenshots, Haaland memes and Salah penalty debates.

Reporter’s take: City rattled, Liverpool alive

Here’s my honest read: this felt bigger than just three points. Mentally, Liverpool looked like the team that believed they had to win; City looked like the team that expected it to just happen eventually.

In my opinion, Pep got burned by not rotating earlier – De Bruyne and Haaland both faded late, while Liverpool's subs, especially Harvey Elliott, injected fresh bite. On the flip side, Jürgen Klopp (or his successor, depending on the dugout today) absolutely nailed the game plan: aggressive press, fast counters, and total commitment to exploiting City's high line.

Haaland will take loads of heat, but the bigger worry for City is how often their back line is being exposed in these big away games. You can't keep giving Jota and Núñez that much space and expect to walk away with clean sheets.

Liverpool, though? That felt like a statement win. Van Dijk bossed the box late on, Jota looked like a top-tier finisher, and even with Salah off his game, they still found three goals. That's title-contender behaviour.

What's next?

With these football results today, the Premier League and Champions League news cycles are about to be dominated by two questions: Is City's era of invincibility cracking just a little, and can this Liverpool side ride the momentum all the way to May?

Whatever side you're on, you need to keep one eye glued to the table and the other on the next round of fixtures – because this title race just got nasty in the best possible way.

Check full stats & standings now

---

Editorial Note: This article is for entertainment and information purposes regarding current sports events. Sports betting and financial investments carry risks. Please gamble responsibly. Always check odds and terms with the provider.