TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Erling Haaland kept Manchester City's Premier League title hopes alive after scoring the winning penalty against Liverpool. Man City won 2-1 at Anfield on Sunday, February 8, 2026. This dramatic victory was not only an extra three points, but also a signal that City have not given up in the title race this season.
Liverpool were on course for victory when Dominik Szoboszlai scored the opening goal with a free kick in the 74th minute. The goal looked enough to give the hosts the win and strengthen their chances of a top-four finish. However, the momentum of the match changed drastically in the final stages.
Haaland was the key player in City's comeback. He started the equalizer by creating a chance for Bernardo Silva before finally sealing the win with a penalty in injury time. The goal ensured City took home all three points from one of the most difficult stadiums in England.
City actually had a third goal in the dying seconds when Rayan Cherki shot into an empty net. However, the goal was disallowed after VAR intervention. In the process, Szoboszlai was shown a red card for denying a goal-scoring opportunity when he pulled back Haaland, who was chasing the ball.
This result saw City close the gap to six points behind Arsenal at the top of the table. Meanwhile, Liverpool remains outside the Champions League places.
ESPN's review highlighted this victory as a typical example of Pep Guardiola-era City. Even when they weren't dominant at Anfield, they still managed to find a way to win. When Szoboszlai scored the opener, City's chances in the title race seemed slim. If Liverpool had won, the gap over Arsenal could have widened to nine points.
This situation also has the potential to put psychological pressure on Arsenal. The Gunners still have a trip to the Etihad before the end of the season. As long as they don't completely pull away from City, the shadows of the previous two seasons, when they were overtaken by City in the closing stages, will continue to haunt them.
City this season may not be at their best as in recent years. But as long as they have the goal threat of Haaland and the creativity of Silva, City remain serious title contenders. Their championship experience could be a deciding factor in the title race.
For Liverpool, this defeat was the result of their inconsistency this season. City's victory at Anfield is also rare. Their last victory at the stadium came in 2003. Meanwhile, for Liverpool manager Arne Slot, this result adds to the pressure in an increasingly difficult season.
Haaland's 93rd-minute penalty was the sixth goal Liverpool have conceded after the 90th minute in the Premier League this season. Interestingly, all of these goals came in matches that ended in narrow defeats or draws. While Liverpool often scored late goals to win at the start of the season, they are now frequently collapsing in the final seconds. With a five-point gap over fourth-placed Manchester United, this habit must be stopped immediately if Liverpool are to qualify for the Champions League.
Haaland Remains Dangerous
Haaland himself once again demonstrated his status as one of the most dangerous strikers in the world. Throughout the match, he had relatively minimal contributions, having only scored one goal in his previous seven league games. However, the Norwegian has the ability to decide big matches in a single moment.
He only really made an impact in the 84th minute when his header found Silva for the equalizer. Seven minutes later, he converted a penalty after goalkeeper Alisson fouled Nico O'Reilly. The penalty carried significant pressure due to its impact on the title race, but Haaland converted it calmly.
Salah and Alisson's Performance Declines
Meanwhile, the decline in performance of Mohamed Salah and Alisson symbolized Liverpool's transitional phase. Over the past decade, both have been the foundation of the club's success. However, in this match, signs of decline began to appear.
Salah's record against City was actually remarkable. Prior to this match, he had been directly involved in 15 of Liverpool's last 20 Premier League goals against Guardiola's teams. Although he almost provided an assist for Hugo Ekitike in the second half, Salah's performance was no longer as impressive as before.
A similar situation occurred with Alisson. His decision to bring down a City player in the penalty area proved to be a mistake. Szoboszlai's red card further compounded Liverpool's defeat. Ironically, Liverpool's player of the season and scorer of the opening goal had to leave the field before the end of the match.
His free kick past Gianluigi Donnarumma was one of the best goals of the season. He has now scored four goals directly from free kicks in all competitions, the most by a Liverpool player in a single season since Luis Suarez scored five in 2012-2013.
However, in injury time, with Alisson out wide, Szoboszlai committed a foul by pulling Haaland. After a VAR review, he was shown a red card. As a result, he will miss the tough midweek away match against Sunderland.
Marc Guehi Shows Liverpool's Weakness
Another highlight came from defender Marc Guehi. The defender, who was nearly signed by Liverpool, put in a solid performance for City. City's transfer was seen as a smart move and prevented Liverpool from strengthening their backline.
Despite receiving jeers from the home fans, Guehi was consistent throughout the match. He only received a yellow card for pulling Salah's shirt, but otherwise put in a very solid performance.
Read: Guardiola Says Erling Haaland Is Now on the Same Level as Messi and Ronaldo
Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News