- Sport
- Football
City beat Liverpool to stay within touching distance of league leaders Arsenal
Richard Jolly at Anfield & Chris WilsonMonday 09 February 2026 01:00 GMT- Bookmark
- CommentsGo to comments
Bookmark popover
Removed from bookmarks
Close popover
ClosePep Guardiola: I will always stand up for human beings who are suffering
Join the Miguel Delaney: Inside Football newsletter and get behind-the-scenes access and unrivalled insight
Join the Miguel Delaney: Inside Football newsletter
Join the Miguel Delaney: Inside Football newsletter
Email*SIGN UPI would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice
Manchester City pulled off a dramatic late comeback to beat Premier League champions Liverpool at Anfield and keep their title ambitions alive.
Dominik Szoboszlai scored a stunning free-kick to give Liverpool the lead, but Bernardo Silva poached an equaliser before Erling Haaland converted a late penalty to settle the game.
Rayan Cherki thought he had scored a bizarre late, late third to cap a wild game with Alisson Becker well out of his area – only for the goal to be ruled out by VAR, which led to Szoboszlai being sent off instead.
Follow all the latest reaction from Anfield below:
Recommended
Why was Dominik Szoboszlai sent off? VAR controversy explained as Man City goal ruled out in win over Liverpool
Liverpool vs Manchester City live
- Liverpool host Man City in the Premier League on Sunday | Live on Sky Sports, kick-off 4.30pm
- 90 +10' DISALLOWED GOAL! Cherki scores from halfway but VAR overrule [LIV 1-2 MCI]
- 90 +3' GOAL! Haaland scores from the spot [LIV 1-2 MCI]
- 84' GOAL! Silva scores late equaliser [LIV 1-1 MCI]
- 74' GOAL! Szoboszlai scores stunning free-kick [LIV 1-0 MCI]
Man City are breathing down Arsenal’s necks after frenzy and farce in rare win over Liverpool at Anfield
A farcical finish, but a fantastic win for Pep Guardiola. He had waited a decade to taste victory at a full Anfield. When he did, with a comeback for the ages, seemingly capped by a goal from the halfway line into an empty net, pernickety officiating injected an element of absurd with a decision that no one wanted or needed.
And yet the overall outcome was the same. As Liverpool led, it felt as though Arsenal were about to be anointed champions. “The whole team knew before the game if we lost it then the title race was probably over,” said Bernardo Silva. Instead, he helped revive it. Erling Haaland, policed well by Virgil van Dijk, enduring a frustrating afternoon, suddenly turned catalyst. A manager who had visited Anfield 10 previous times, winning only in lockdown, got the triumph that had always eluded him. “It is so difficult,” sighed Guardiola. “Anfield is Anfield: the tradition, the history, the crowd.”
Man City are breathing down Arsenal’s necks after frenzy and farce at Anfield
Liverpool 1-2 Manchester City: Bernardo Silva and Erling Haaland scored to pull off a dramatic late turnaround and keep the visitors’ title challenge aliveRead moreChris Wilson8 February 2026 20:25Pundits: Carabao Cup final has important in title race
Chris Wilson9 February 2026 01:00Pundits criticise Liverpool
Here’s what the pundits had to say on Sky regarding a mixed Liverpool performance:
Chris Wilson9 February 2026 00:00Slot reacts on Sky
Here’s what Arne Slot said on Sky after the final whistle:
Chris Wilson8 February 2026 23:00Should Guehi have been sent off?
Here’s the Sky Sport analysis of whether Marc Guehi should have been sent off for dragging down Mo Salah.
Consensus: probably not, it certainly would’ve been harsh.
Chris Wilson8 February 2026 22:00Carragher doubts Liverpool's UCL qualification push
Here’s what Jamie Carragher had to say on Liverpool’s chances of qualifying for next season’s Champions League:
Chris Wilson8 February 2026 21:00Pep Guardiola and Erling Haaland have same reaction to Dominik Szoboszlai’s bizarre red card after City beat Liverpool
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola and match-winner Erling Haaland said they did not want to see Liverpool’s Dominik Szoboszlai sent off in their 2-1 victory at Anfield.
Guardiola called for “common sense” after Liverpool goalscorer Szoboszlai was dismissed in the 103rd minute for denying City a goalscoring opportunity – even as the ball went into the goal.
Rayan Cherki had an injury-time strike disallowed after finding the net from the half-way line as Szoboszlai and Haaland chased the shot, with first the Hungarian fouling the Norwegian and then the City striker tugging back the Liverpool right-back, but with neither making contact with the ball.
Pep Guardiola and Erling Haaland react to Dominik Szoboszlai’s bizarre red card
The Hungarian received a straight red card for preventing a clear goalscoring opportunity at the end of Liverpool’s defeat to Manchester CityChris Wilson8 February 2026 20:40Premier League results
That’s the final game of the weekend done, so here are the rest of the results from around the top flight:
Leeds United 3-1 Nottingham Forest
Manchester United 2-0 Tottenham
Arsenal 3-0 Sunderland
Wolves 1-3 Chelsea
Fulham 1-2 Everton
Burnley 0-2 West Ham
Bournemouth 1-1 Aston Villa
Newcastle 2-3 Brentford
Brighton 0-1 Crystal Palace
Liverpool 1-2 Manchester City
Chris Wilson8 February 2026 20:30Van Dijk: 'We have only ourselves to blame
Here’s what Virgil van Dijk had to say in a brief interview on Sky:
“The penalty, it went so fast, we have only ourselves to blame. We quickly turn our attention to Sunderland, it’s going to be a tough one, hell of a job, and a good challenge ahead of us.”
Chris Wilson8 February 2026 20:20Match stats
Liverpool have now conceded four 90th-minute winners in league matches this season - the joint-most by a team in a single Premier League campaign after Watford in 2017/18, West Ham in 2021/22, Watford again in 2021/22, and Southampton in 2024/25.
Chris Wilson8 February 2026 20:14Newer1 / 12OlderMore about
Manchester CityLiverpool FCPep GuardiolaArne SlotJoin our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments
