Liverpool led Manchester City with a stunning free-kick from Dominik Szoboszlai but conceded twice in the final minutes to lose 1-2 in the Premier League. The result highlights a troubling trend of late goals against Arne Slot's side, jeopardizing their Champions League hopes. This setback leaves them trailing rivals like Manchester United and Chelsea in the race for top-four spots.
Liverpool's Premier League match against Manchester City at Anfield on February 8, 2026, turned into a frustrating loss despite a promising second-half performance. The hosts, managed by Arne Slot, started with an improvised lineup featuring Dominik Szoboszlai at right-back. Alisson Becker was in goal, with Ibrahima Konaté and Virgil van Dijk anchoring the center defense, and Milos Kerkez at left-back. In midfield, Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch controlled the center, while Mohamed Salah, Florian Wirtz, Cody Gakpo, and Hugo Ekitike supported up front.
The first half saw Manchester City dominate possession at 53% to Liverpool's 47%, but the Reds stayed compact and limited clear chances. Alisson made key saves, and the defense held firm. After the break, Liverpool pressed higher and found a breakthrough in the 74th minute when Szoboszlai curled in a long-range free-kick off the post, giving them a 1-0 lead with 16 minutes left.
Anfield erupted, but instead of pushing forward, Liverpool retreated, allowing City to equalize in the 84th minute through Bernardo Silva, assisted by Erling Haaland. The visitors then won a penalty in stoppage time after a challenge by Alisson, which Haaland converted in the 92nd minute for a 2-1 victory—the latest winning goal by a visiting team at Anfield since the 2006/07 season.
Szoboszlai received a controversial red card in the 90+10th minute. Match stats showed Liverpool with 15 shots to City's 17, but only 4 on target compared to 7, and an xG of 1.21 against 2.75.
This marks the sixth time this season Liverpool have conceded after 90 minutes, contributing to an eight-point swing and four losses from late goals—the joint-most in a Premier League season. Captain Virgil van Dijk addressed the issue post-match: “I think you can't compare all of the goals [conceded in stoppage time]. I think maybe you can compare the Crystal Palace goal and the Bournemouth goal but this one you can't compare with the others. But the fact is that we conceded that late on and I keep saying it but we have to do better in this.”
The defeat drops Liverpool further from Champions League contention, now facing tough upcoming fixtures including an away game at Sunderland, who are unbeaten at home since promotion. Gary Neville noted on Sky Sports: “They are five points behind the top four or five. It's not a big gap; there is a long way to go.” With 13 games left, Slot's side must address their game management to secure a top-four finish.
