Jurgen Klopp's 'golden rule' about touching the Anfield sign might be losing some of its lustre, but more superstitious fans may wonder if Wout Weghorst's antics ahead of Sunday's game between the Reds and Manchester United pointed to its power.
Klopp had banned players from touching the sign until they had won something, but this supposed golden rule wasn't exactly hard and fast. January signing Cody Gakpo was among the culprits, but few will be able to blame the Dutchman when club captain Jordan Henderson has done the same thing in the past.
Man Utd striker Weghorst was the latest who couldn't keep his hands off it, as shown in tunnel footage from before Sunday's match. Now, we're not saying the gesture cursed the visitors to their record-breaking 7-0 defeat, but we'll let you say it if you want to.
In new 'Inside Anfield' footage posted on Liverpool's YouTube channel, the cameras pick up players from both teams preparing to walk out of the tunnel. Weghorst can be seen embracing international team-mate Gakpo before eyeing up the sign.
The giant striker even appears to limber up for the sign tap, something which none of the United players in front of him do. Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk also touches the sign on his way out, as do Harvey Elliott and former PSV frontman Gakpo.
Maybe Weghorst was looking for a loophole and thought winning the Carabao Cup with United gave him licence to beat the system. Not so fast, Wout.
What do you make of Jurgen Klopp's 'rule'? Have your say in the comments section
Perhaps Weghorst should have kept Klopp's comments in mind before pushing his luck. Back in August 2014, the German took his Dortmund team to Anfield and committed football's equivalent of Orpheus looking back towards Euridyce.
Yeah, it's a Greek myth reference. No it's not 'inappropriate' for a story about a former Burnley striker. If anything that makes it more suitable. No, don't ask us why.
“I’ve told my players not to touch the ‘This Is Anfield’ sign until they win something!" Klopp said in 2016. "It's a sign of respect. I touched it when I was manager of Borussia Dortmund but we lost 4-0."
If Weghorst was using the moment to psyche himself up, it didn't work. The Dutchman was hooked after less than an hour, with his team 3-0 down and on their way to an even heavier defeat.
Cheer up, though, Wout. At least the result means no one's talking about your previous comments about Liverpool. What's that? Oh, right, yes, no one except us, right here.
“I always found Liverpool very special. I still get goosebumps from ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’," Weghorst told Goal and DAZN in 2020, when he was still at Wolfsburg. "There are other great English clubs too, and I always liked Milan because so many Dutch played there.”
Back in 2018, meanwhile, he mentioned his love for the Reds in an interview with De Telegraaf. “I’ve dreamt of [playing for Liverpool] since childhood,” he said.
He didn't score in his first Anfield run-out, and it remains to be seen whether it will be his last. United will face a decision at the end of the season over whether to make the loan move permanent, and they'll need to figure out whether his useful all-round play makes up for an underwhelming goal return.
Football can be an unforgiving game, though, and there's no guarantee of an extended stay. If you didn't know when you'd get another chance to walk out of the Anfield tunnel, perhaps you'd tap the sign too.
