The mystery of Rafa's new bearded look can finally be solved.
No, he wasn't inspired by Max out of Max and Paddy or David Gest.
And it isn't some sort of cunning disguise which allows him to go unnoticed when he goes for a walk in the Wirral on a Sunday.

The simple truth is he came back from holiday with a full beard which did not go down too well with some of his friends and family.
After getting a load of stick about it he decided to do something about it. So he popped into his local barbers and asked the hairdresser to tidy it up a bit.
The fella took one look and decided that a goatee was the way forward.
So there you have it. It isn't a fashion statement or a disguise, it's simply a look his barber in the Wirral thought would suit him.
But the big question is, will it be a lucky omen?
I've been having a think of the last manager in England to win a trophy while wearing a beard and I genuinely can't think of one since Jimmy Hill guided Coventry City to the Division 2 title in 1967.
So the beard can stay for now but if Liverpool aren't looking like title challengers come September then I'm afraid Rafa will have to bite the bullet and make a return trip to his friendly neighbourhood barbers to have it shaved off.

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