Man United striker Wout Weghorst was pictured touching the This Is Anfield sign on Sunday, but he claims it was to “wind up” Virgil van Dijk.
Following United’s 7-0 defeat at Anfield, footage emerged of the two sides lining up in the tunnel to head onto the pitch.
Like Van Dijk, Fabinho, Harvey Elliott, Cody Gakpo and Trent Alexander-Arnold, Weghorst put his hand up to touch the This Is Anfield sign – a tradition among Liverpool players.
The only problem was that the Dutchman is a United player, which led to him being slaughtered on social media for his gesture while quotes from 2018, when he declared himself a Reds fan, resurfaced.
That led Weghorst to explain the situation in a post on his Instagram story on Tuesday evening, insisting he was trying to block Netherlands team-mate Van Dijk.
Weghorst explains touching the ‘This Is Anfield’ sign #mufc pic.twitter.com/5muyZbUVZS
— Samuel Luckhurst (@samuelluckhurst) March 7, 2023
“I just want to clarify the video that is doing the rounds,” he wrote.
“From the national team I know that Virgil always touches that sign and the only intention I had was to stop him touching it and wind him up before the game.
“As a child I always supported FC Twente, and as a proud player now for Man United, my dedication to this incredible club can never be questioned.”
Only, no one believed his half-hearted defence.
He was just eating grass. https://t.co/aAhwnmtBNj
— Neil Jones (@neiljonesgoal) March 7, 2023
"I went to stop him touching it to try and wind him up before the game." pic.twitter.com/0tvZKA3n5J
— Sam Millne (@sam_millne) March 7, 2023
You're directly looking towards the sign as your hand is making no attempt to come into contact with Virgil Van Dijk. Good story but I doubt many will buy it. pic.twitter.com/O2zonU7QdO
— Johan Patrick Wirth (@Johan_Patrick_0) March 7, 2023
Does he actually expect people to believe that ?
— Ryan Delaney ?? (@Ryan_Delaney37) March 7, 2023
I once tried to stop Virgil Van Dijk touch a sign to wind him up before a game, but ended up touching it myself. pic.twitter.com/zcWlVDw1dV
— LEG IT (@jurgensredsmen) March 7, 2023
Big “money was just resting in my account energy off this” https://t.co/7nt8YQqNBi pic.twitter.com/3nm8aiBjkz
— Owen Webb O Rourke (@OwenWebbORourke) March 7, 2023
So close to stopping him, Weggy.
There was more effort on the pitch than there was in this blatant lie. https://t.co/Rjeacltjmx pic.twitter.com/eEzjvn6UeT
— Gerry Deakin (@Gerry_Deakin) March 7, 2023
It is remarkable that the situation even required an explanation, but given it came before United’s worst-ever defeat to Liverpool it is a source of amusement on Merseyside.
From Robbie Fowler sniffing grass to Joleon Lescott ‘pocket-tweeting’ a photo of a Mercedes after Aston Villa‘s 6-0 defeat to Liverpool 2016, there have been many like it in football over the years.
But Weghorst’s excuse clearly overlooks the fact it was broadcast on LFCTV.
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