‘I’m looking at this small thing and asking, “Is this so special?”‘: Dries Mertens mocks ‘This is Anfield’ sign ahead of crunch Champions League showdown with Liverpool
- Liverpool face Napoli in a do-or-die Champions League clash on Tuesday night
- Reds will be hoping the famous ‘This is Anfield’ sign works its magic once more
- Players past and present touch the sign for good luck as they walk out to play
- But Dries Mertens was left unimpressed when he last saw the sign back in 2010
Napoli forward Dries Mertens has lit the blue touch paper ahead of his side’s Champions League clash with Liverpool by mocking the fabled ‘This is Anfield’ sign.
The two sides meet in a do-or-die Group C match on Tuesday night, with Liverpool needing to win 1-0 or by two clear goals to reach the last-16.
Jurgen Klopp’s side will be relying on their fans to create an atmosphere to rival the best at Anfield on big European nights down the years.
Napoli forward Dries Mertens has mocked the fabled ‘This is Anfield’ sign in Liverpool’s tunnel
Liverpool players have long touched the sign as they walk out on to the pitch for good luck
They will also hope the famous Anfield sign, located in the tunnel, works its magic once more.
The sign has been part of the Anfield furniture for years and Liverpool stars touch it on their way on to the pitch for good luck.
But Mertens, who was part of the Utrecht team that drew 0-0 with Roy Hodgson’s Liverpool in a Europa League group game in 2010, was left unimpressed.
‘My strongest memory is that they have a sign saying “This is Anfield” and everyone was talking about it, so I was thinking it’s very big, you know,’ Mertens told The Times.
‘I came through the tunnel and I asked, “Where is the thing?” and they said you missed it and I hadn’t noticed it. So in the second half, I’m looking at this small thing and asking, “Is this so special?”‘
Mertens was part of the Utrecht team that drew with Liverpool in Europa League game in 2010
Mertens will be less in the dark when he heads out on to the pitch on Tuesday. Next to the sign now stands a quote from the great Bill Shankly, which reads:
‘It is there to remind our lads who they’re playing for, and to remind the opposition who they’re playing against.’
Brad Jones, Danny Wilson, Christian Poulsen, Milan Jovanovic and Nathan Eccleston were among the Liverpool team that day eight years ago.
But on Tuesday night, Mertens and Co will have to deal with the likes of Roberto Firmino and Mo Salah, who netted a hat-trick at Bournemouth on Saturday.