haaland maakt historische penalty na furieuze slotfase op anfield
Anfield, zondag, 8 februari 2026.
Manchester City won van Liverpool op Anfield dankzij een late penalty van Erling Haaland. Het duel kantelde in de 93e minuut toen Matheus Nunes ten onder ging in het strafschopgebied. Haaland benutte de strafschop koeltjes, waarmee hij voor het eerst in zijn carrière scoorde op Anfield. Even daarvoor had Dominik Szoboszlai Liverpool op voorsprong gezet met een sensationele vrije trap. De rode kaart voor Szoboszlai in blessuretijd markeerde het emotionele einde van een dramatische ontmoeting. De zege houdt City binnen zes punten van leider Arsenal in de titelstrijd.
late penalty turns tide in anfield drama
Manchester City overturned a 1-0 deficit to defeat Liverpool 2-1 at Anfield on February 8, 2026 [1]. The victory followed a turbulent finale where Dominik Szoboszlai gave Liverpool the lead with a stunning long-range free kick in the 74th minute [2]. City equalized nine minutes later through Bernardo Silva, finishing after an assist from Erling Haaland [3]. Deep into stoppage time, Matheus Nunes was brought down inside the box, resulting in a penalty awarded following a VAR review [1][2].
haaland breaks anfield duck under pressure
Erling Haaland calmly converted the 93rd-minute penalty, marking his first-ever goal at Anfield [3]. His composure under immense pressure shifted momentum decisively in City’s favor [2]. Prior to this match, Haaland had failed to score during previous visits to Liverpool’s home ground, making this strike historically significant for both player and club [1]. “This place is so tough to come to,” Haaland remarked post-match, highlighting the psychological weight carried by visiting players [3].
szoboszlai’s brilliance overshadowed by red card
Dominik Szoboszlai opened the scoring with a spectacular curling free kick from distance, drawing comparisons to his earlier goal against Arsenal [1]. Despite his pivotal contribution, Szoboszlai was shown a straight red card moments after City’s winning penalty [2]. The dismissal stemmed from a foul on Haaland that denied a clear goal-scoring opportunity [3]. His exit sparked heated protests from Liverpool staff, compounding frustration over refereeing decisions during a tightly contested encounter [1][2].
title implications narrow arsenal’s lead
The win keeps Manchester City within six points of league leaders Arsenal, preserving their slim title hopes [2]. Before kickoff, City trailed Arsenal by nine points, emphasizing the importance of overcoming resilient opposition [3]. Liverpool remained on 39 points, lagging five positions behind fourth-placed Manchester United, intensifying scrutiny on their Champions League ambitions [2]. Manager Arne Slot acknowledged the difficulty of such fixtures, calling it “another great Liverpool-Man City game” amidst growing concerns over late-game vulnerabilities [3].
var decisions ignite debate on fairness
Controversy surrounded the match’s outcome due to contentious VAR interventions [1]. The decisive penalty was granted after Alisson Becker collided with Matheus Nunes in stoppage time, prompting fierce disagreement among pundits and supporters alike [2]. Furthermore, Rayan Cherki appeared to score immediately after Haaland’s fall, yet the goal was disallowed upon review since the initial infringement occurred beforehand [3]. Former officials debated whether sufficient contact justified the award, underscoring ongoing challenges in standardizing interpretations across matches [1][2].