Suarez says he's fated to be at Liverpool

LONDON (AFP) –

Liverpool forward Luis Suarez kisses his wrist after scoring a goal during an FA Cup match between Mansfield Town and Liverpool in Mansfield on January 6, 2013. Suarez said Friday he was destined to be playing for the Merseysiders as he explained the meaning behind his distinctive goal celebration.

Controversial Liverpool striker Luis Suarez said Friday he was destined to be playing for the Merseysiders as he explained the meaning behind his distinctive goal celebration.

Whenever he scores, the Uruguay forward kisses his wrist, where he has a tattoo of the name of his two-year-old daughter Delfina — an anagram of the word “Anfield”, Liverpool’s home ground.

Although Suarez joined the Reds some six months after Delfina’s birth, he was heartened by the link, telling Liverpool’s website on Friday: “I didn’t know her name was an anagram of Anfield but my wife has told me that people here in Liverpool say that when I kiss my wrist, I’m doing it because I have ‘Anfield’ on there.

“It’s a total coincidence but a very nice one at the same time. Maybe there was fate,” the 25-year-old added.

Suarez’s goal celebration became a talking point when he scored what turned out to be the winning goal in Liverpool’s 2-1 FA Cup third-round victory at Mansfield after the ball had hit him on the hand.

And he now faces disciplinary action from within Anfield after admitting that he dived to try to win a penalty in a league game with Stoke City.

In an interview with Fox Sports Argentina, Suarez admitted “falling” during October’s goalless draw between the clubs at Anfield.

That prompted an angry response from Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers, who had defended Suarez from criticism at the time.