Premier League

Madness at Anfield as late Haaland penalty keeps City alive in the title race

Late goals from Bernardo Silva and Haaland breathe life back into City’s Premier League push. A stunner from Szoboszlai. An otherworldly save from Donnarumma.

PAUL ELLIS

Xavi Heras David Nelson

Liverpool (Inglaterra) Update: Feb 8th, 2026 14:45 EST

The title was slipping away from City. Trailing with five minutes left, they were watching Arsenal stretch their lead at the top to nine points. Then, in a spell of sheer madness, the match handed Guardiola’s side another chance. And they took it. Bernardo cancelled out Szoboszlai’s earlier strike, and Haaland buried a penalty deep into stoppage time to give the Sky Blues the win. There was still more. Donnarumma denied an equaliser in the seventh added minute, and seconds later Cherki scored from the halfway line. The referee disallowed it, ignoring the advantage rule in order to send off Szoboszlai.

The first half was tense rather than productive. City were the better side, determined to take the initiative, but then seemed unsure what to do with it. The game might have unfolded very differently if Alisson had hesitated in the second minute, but he did not. The Brazilian was alert, rushing off his line to deny the Norwegian after a perfectly weighted through ball from Bernardo. Liverpool also lacked spark and managed just one chance in the opening half, and not a clear one. Guéhi blocked Salah’s effort just before the half hour. Haaland tried his luck again ten minutes before the break, but he did not trouble Alisson, shooting straight at the home goalkeeper.

After the restart came urgency, and a step forward from Liverpool. Arne Slot’s side began to string chances together after a low Szoboszlai drive that Donnarumma gathered comfortably. That was the first of six in quick succession. Almost one per minute, with five falling to the Reds. Ekitiké fired wide before forcing a fine save from Donnarumma. Then Semenyo looked to put the visitors ahead, finding space to shoot through a crowd of bodies, but without hitting the target. Alisson released the ball quickly and Ekitiké threw himself forward to try to finish the move, unsuccessfully. Gakpo tried to capitalise on a flick-on from Mac Allister from a Kerkez cross, but also failed.

Madness at Anfield as late Haaland penalty keeps City alive in the title race — Phil Noble

Wonder strike from Szoboszlai

Donnarumma and Khusanov both went for that chance, the move ending with the centre back taking a knee to the head from his own goalkeeper and having to be replaced by Dias. The Portuguese defender returned to the side, by necessity rather than choice. He fired just wide shortly after coming on. His partner at the back, Guéhi, previously linked with Liverpool, then denied an opportunity for Wirtz, previously linked with City.

It took a moment of magic to break open a match in which Liverpool had grown enormously. Szoboszlai provided it, scoring a superb free kick from distance that cleared the wall and nestled inside the left post of the visiting goal. Sadly for Liverpool, the strike did nothing but awaken the beast. Ten minutes later, Bernardo levelled the game after a slight touch from Haaland on a Cherki cross. The home defence switched off, and Bernardo stayed alert to finish.

Liverpool kept pushing in search of a winner, but went too far. Just like Alisson when he collided with Nunes, bringing down the Portuguese and conceding a penalty that Haaland calmly converted in stoppage time. City moved in front, though not decisively. The seven minutes of added time stretched to fourteen. The stage was set for drama.

Drama at the death

Donnarumma saved Manchester City by denying a thunderous Mac Allister volley. The Italian got a strong hand to it, keeping the ball from flying into the top corner. The rebound rocketed clear and eventually fell to Cherki, who tried his luck from the halfway line. And scored. But it did not count. The referee ignored the advantage rule and denied the Frenchman the chance to celebrate an extraordinary goal, all for a foul by Szoboszlai on Haaland. The Hungarian was sent off, in the middle of an Anfield that could not believe what it was seeing. And City emerged victorious from a quite unbelievable match.

1 Alisson
5 Ibrahima Konate
6 Milos Kerkez (93')
8 Dominik Szoboszlai
4 Virgil Van Dijk
7 Florian Wirtz
38 Ryan Gravenberch
18 Gakpo (84')
10 Alexis Mac Allister
11 Salah
22 Hugo Ekitike
Substitutes
26 A. Robertson
17 Curtis Jones (84')
14 Federico Chiesa (93')
47 Calvin Ramsey
25 Mamardashvili
3 Wataru Endo
73 Rio Ngumoha
42 Trey Nyoni
28 Woodman

25 Gianluigi Donnarumma
27 Matheus
45 Abdukodir Khusanov (60')
15 Marc Guehi
21 Rayan Ait Nouri
16 Rodrigo
20 Bernardo Silva
33 Nico O'Reilly
9 Erling Braut Haaland
42 Antoine Semenyo (95')
7 Omar Marmoush (60')
Substitutes
3 Rúben Dias (60')
68 Max Alleyne
82 Rico Lewis
14 Nico González
10 Mathis Cherki (60')
47 Foden
6 Aké (95')
4 Tijani Reijnders
1 James Trafford

Substitutions

Rayan Cherki (60', Omar Marmoush), Rúben Dias (60', Abdukodir Khusanov), Curtis Jones (84', Cody Gakpo), Federico Chiesa (93', Milos Kerkez), Nathan Aké (95', Antoine Semenyo)

Goals

1-0, 73': Dominik Szoboszlai, 1-1, 83': Bernardo Silva, 1-2, 92': Erling Braut Haaland

Cards

Referee: Craig Pawson
VAR Referee: John Brooks, Blake Antrobus
Omar Marmoush (41',Yellow), Virgil Van Dijk (46',Yellow), Marc Guehi (68',Yellow), Alisson (91',Yellow), Erling Braut Haaland (93',Yellow), Bernardo Silva (96',Yellow), Dominik Szoboszlai (102',Red)