Wout Weghorst admits he attempted to provoke Virgil van Dijk by touching the ‘This is Anfield’ sign before Manchester United’s devastating 7-0 loss to Liverpool.
United’s defeat on Sunday was their joint-worst defeat in their history, as Erik ten Hag’s side conceded six second-half goals to completely collapse at the home of their fierce rivals.
A video soon circulated of Weghorst touching the famous sign in the tunnel of Anfield, which sparked fury from United fans.
Responding to the video, Weghorst took to Instagram to clarify the situation, stating that he was trying to wind up Van Dijk before the game.
He said that he knew Van Dijk always touches the sign and he went to stop him from doing so to try and wind him up. Weghorst assured fans of Manchester United that his dedication to the club can never be questioned, and he is putting everything into making it right in the coming weeks.
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“Normally I never react on media topics, but for this one it’s worth it because you amazing United fans are so important to me,” Weghorst posted on Instagram.
“I just want to clarify the video that is doing the rounds.
“From the national team, I know that Virgil always touches that sign and I went to stop him touching it to try and wind him up before the game.
“As a child I always supported FC Twente, and as a proud player now for Manchester United, my dedication to this incredible club can never be questioned.
“Sunday was a terrible day for all of us, we are putting everything into making it right in the next weeks.
“We will bounce back together and achieve our aims this season!”
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Manchester United will look to bounce back from Sunday’s defeat when they take on Real Betis in the first leg of their Europa League last-16 tie on Thursday. Before the Liverpool match, United had not tasted defeat in 11 matches in all competitions and had claimed the EFL Cup with victory over Newcastle United. United will be hoping to get back to their winning form and put the Liverpool defeat behind them.
The incident with Weghorst touching the ‘This is Anfield’ sign has been a source of controversy, with some fans and pundits criticizing his actions as disrespectful.
However, others have defended Weghorst, arguing that mind games and psychological tactics are a part of the game and have been used by players for decades.
Regardless of the controversy, it seems clear that Weghorst’s intentions were to try and gain a psychological advantage over Van Dijk, and it remains to be seen whether or not his tactics were successful.
