Liverpool vs Man City live thriller: late Salah penalty rocks Haaland & title race
20.01.2026 - 13:20:56
Liverpool 2–1 Manchester City: Salah's Ice-Cold Penalty Flips the Title Race
This was billed as the Premier League live heavyweight clash of the night, and wow, it lived up to the hype. Anfield under the lights, the atmosphere electric, and two teams absolutely throwing punches in the title race.
Manchester City actually landed the first blow. In the 19th minute, a slick passing move sliced through Liverpool's press. Kevin De Bruyne slipped a filthy reverse ball into the right channel, and Phil Foden drilled a low left-footed shot across Alisson into the far corner. 0–1, City, and the away end went wild.
Liverpool, though, refused to back down. They ramped up the pressure, and on 37 minutes, they were level. Trent Alexander-Arnold whipped in a brutal diagonal ball, Darwin Núñez bullied Rúben Dias in the air and nodded it down, and Luis Díaz pounced, smashing a right-footed volley past Ederson from close range. 1–1 and Anfield absolutely exploded.
From there it turned into pure chaos. Erling Haaland had two massive chances – one-on-one early in the second half where Alisson spread himself brilliantly, and a 68th-minute header that he somehow nodded wide from a De Bruyne corner. For a guy who usually buries everything, tonight he looked strangely human. No goals for Haaland, and that's going to be the talking point in every bit of soccer news tonight.
The Decisive Moment: VAR, Drama, and Salah's Nerves of Steel
The winning goal came with maximum controversy. In the 86th minute, Díaz drove into the box again, chopped inside Kyle Walker and went down under contact. The ref initially waved play on, but VAR called him to the monitor. After a long, tense check – the classic kind that drives fans insane – the decision flipped: penalty to Liverpool.
Up stepped Mohamed Salah. Ederson tried his mind games, walking across the line, arms out, slowing everything down. Salah just stared at the spot, took a breath, and hammered it high into the right corner. 2–1 Liverpool. Anfield lost its mind. Salah ripped away in front of the Kop, fists pumping, yet another clutch moment added to his insane highlight reel.
City threw on Julián Álvarez and Jeremy Doku, with De Bruyne still trying to dictate things, but Liverpool’s back line – especially Virgil van Dijk – stood tall. One last Haaland half-chance in stoppage time was snuffed out by a combination of van Dijk and Alisson, and that was that.
Heroes & Flops Under the Spotlight
- Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) – Hero. Worked the channels, linked play, and when it mattered most, buried the winning penalty. Clinical, cold, big-game mentality.
- Luis Díaz (Liverpool) – Electric. Constantly running at defenders and fully deserved his goal. His directness forced the late penalty incident too.
- Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool) – Mixed, but decisive. Defensively tested by Doku, but his passing range, including the assist for Díaz, was game-changing.
- Erling Haaland (Man City) – Tonight? Flop by his own impossible standards. No goal, a couple of big misses; you just expect him to bury at least one of those.
- Kevin De Bruyne (Man City) – Looked sharp, created chances, grabbed the assist for Foden, but couldn’t quite drag City back after they went behind.
In terms of pure drama, this match sits right at the top of the football results today. Both sides traded punches, but Liverpool had that extra burst of chaos and belief at home.
Elsewhere in the Premier League: Top Scorers Today Step Up
It wasn’t just Anfield serving up action. Across the league, the goals were flying in and the top scorers today made sure their names stayed on everyone's lips.
At the Emirates, Arsenal 3–0 Newcastle turned into a statement win. Bukayo Saka opened the scoring, rolling home after a slick one-two with Martin Ødegaard. Gabriel Jesus added the second, nodding in from close range after a corner caused havoc, and late on Leandro Trossard hammered in a third on the counter. Saka looked razor sharp, while Jesus constantly pulled defenders out of position.
Over at Old Trafford, Manchester United 2–2 Chelsea produced its own mini-soap opera. United struck first via Rasmus Højlund, turning neatly in the box and firing low into the corner. Chelsea hit back with Cole Palmer bending in a beauty from the edge of the area. After the break, Bruno Fernandes smashed home a penalty after a handball, but late on, sub Nicolas Jackson bundled in a scrappy equaliser from close range. United’s stars still feel flaky, while Chelsea’s young guns are chaotic but fearless.
What It Means for the Premier League Table
So how does that Liverpool win over City tilt the title race? It’s huge. Liverpool jump back above City, tightening the gap at the top and putting massive pressure on everyone chasing. Arsenal’s big win keeps them firmly in the mix too, turning this into a proper three-way scrap for the trophy.
City, meanwhile, suddenly look a touch vulnerable – especially if Haaland isn’t in his unstoppable mode. Dropping points in a direct showdown like this can haunt you by May.
What does this mean for the title race? Click here for the live standings
Champions League & Wider European Vibes
This Premier League madness also spills straight into the Champions League news cycle. A resurgent, buzzing Liverpool is the last thing Europe wants to see in a knockout tie. Salah in this mood and Anfield sounding like a jet engine? That’s a nightmare for any visitor.
For City, the narrative flips a bit. If Haaland isn’t firing, suddenly every Champions League night feels a little more fragile. De Bruyne looks fit and creative, but tonight showed that even the best system in the world still needs its clinical finisher to be ice-cold.
Social Media Spotlight: The Internet Is Melting Down
The social feeds are absolutely going off about that late penalty call on Díaz and Salah’s winner. VAR is once again the main character, and you can feel the divide between Liverpool fans calling it justice and City fans calling it robbery.
The Internet is Exploding: 3 Social Media Highlights
X Discussion: Fans furious and ecstatic in equal measure over that late VAR penalty for Liverpool
My Take: This Felt Like a Title-Decider in January
Honestly, this didn’t feel like “just another” league game. It had that edge of a Champions League knockout: every mistake punished, every duel fought like it was the last. In my opinion, Liverpool looked hungrier, more desperate, and that’s what tipped it.
City will complain about the penalty – and sure, it was one of those calls that could go either way – but if you’re letting Díaz run at you that late in the game, you’re playing with fire. Also, Haaland missing those chances? If Pep Guardiola doesn’t quietly tear into the team’s ruthlessness behind closed doors, I’d be shocked.
For Liverpool, this is the kind of win that supercharges a season. Salah’s leadership, Díaz’s chaos, Trent’s creativity – when those three are on it, you feel like anything is possible. If their fitness holds up, this title race is absolutely on.
Closing Whistle: What a Night of Football
If you were trawling for football results today looking for something special, this was your jackpot. A massive Liverpool win, Haaland blanking, Arsenal cruising, United and Chelsea trading punches – the Premier League just reminded everyone why it’s the wildest show in town.
And the best part? Every single one of these results feeds straight back into the league narrative – who’s surging, who’s stumbling, and who might just crack under pressure.
Check full stats & standings now
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