Liverpool 1-2 Man City (Szoboszlai 74′, 90’+13 red card | Silva 84′, Haaland 90’+3 pen)
ANFIELD — How does he do it? Until the 84th minute, Erling Haaland’s display at Anfield was of serious concern.
Liverpool’s stadium has always been an unhappy hunting ground for the Manchester City striker, even when at the peak of his lethal powers, so judging him in a stadium many have off days in, in isolation, is unfair.
But the manner of his performance on Sunday; the lack of movement, intent to get into goalscoring positions – something he can normally do in a state of paralysis – left City’s title hopes in tatters, and gave Pep Guardiola the most bewildering of conundrums.
Haaland was doing more harm than good, and not for the first time in his wretched recent run.
Erling Haaland keeps the title race ALIVE!
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) February 8, 2026pic.twitter.com/VxjQrJFFVk
Yet, somehow, in the blink of an eye, an assist and arrowing penalty winner later, City reminded league leaders Arsenal they aren’t going anywhere just yet.
And neither is a Norse goalscoring phenom who, even at his lowest ebb, cannot help but have the most transformational effect on the outcome.
This was never going to be like the tiki-taka versus heavy metal football glory years. Liverpool and City came into the contest having won twice between them in the Premier League since New Year’s Day.
City’s squad rebuild is yet to really get off the ground. So many fresh faces make continuity hard to come by. Liverpool remain stuck in a perpetual identity crisis.
Sometimes they press. Sometimes they sit. Three of their front four are either out of form or unsure of their role.
City took advantage of the Liverpool uncertainty to dominate for large swathes of the first half.
The hosts completed just 45 passes in the opening 20 minutes, their fewest in a Premier League game at Anfield in 12 years, while facing 10 shots in the full half; their joint-most in the first half of a home league match on record.
Yet, it was not as if Alisson had to be at his best to keep City at bay. The visitors looked a real threat, until the ball came near Haaland.
Haaland twice went close in the first half, with two rather unconvincing efforts. That took him to 23 shots without scoring from open play since his December double against West Ham – his last non-penalty league goals.
That barren run is the longest Haaland has gone without an open-play goal in his entire senior career. He has also never looked so forlorn, unable to cause defenders even the slightest concern.
Players of Haaland’s ilk, however, can never be discounted. Like Jamie Vardy made his calling card down the years, he doesn’t touch the ball often, but when he does, the consequences are often seismic.
The header for Bernardo Silva’s equaliser six minutes from time could not have been cushioned any better – as if Haaland envisaged where he himself would have wanted the ball to drop out of the sky.
Then, after Matheus Nunes was felled in the penalty area by Alisson in stoppage time, Haaland sheepishly grabbed the ball and headed for the spot.
Dominik Szoboszlai, whose free-kick that put Liverpool in front did not deserve to be in vain, did his best to put Haaland off.
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Haaland seemed to relish his opponent’s attempts to put him off, safe in the knowledge that even amidst a worst-ever career form, there was only going to be one outcome from 12 yards.
The finish was as emphatic as it gets. A first league double for City over Liverpool since 1937 and first Anfield success in front of fans in 23 years, to scenes of raucous euphoria among travelling supporters and the City bench.
Victories like this can have the most cataclysmic impact on what follows. And, as always, even when a shadow of his usual self, there is one man to thank for keeping this season’s title race alive.
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