We knew it wasn’t going to be a good omen.
Sky Sports camera caught the moment a cat ran onto the pitch ahead of Liverpool’s clash with rivals Manchester United.
Some superstitious types reckon it’s good fortune, others believe a black cat signifies bad luck.
https://twitter.com/laurenlosung/status/788089462823718912
But for anyone sat watching the first half of the cagey Manchester-Merseyside derby, which finished 0-0 (yawn), it provided pretty much the only entertainment of the game.
WATCH: Hello, who is this one playing for? It may be #RedMonday but there was room for a black cat. SS1 now. https://t.co/pV30uk1dZt
— Sky Sports Retro (@SkySportsRetro) October 17, 2016
As there was very little action on the pitch, fans had to make their own entertainment during the match…and the feline pitch invader was it.
It certainly brought the pun-loving criminals out in force, with nobody being able to resist the urge to make the Catinho joke.
https://twitter.com/ArthurDon94/status/788108766633865216
https://twitter.com/AllFootballLive/status/788100523576717313
Phillipe Catinho who?!? #LIVMUN pic.twitter.com/r1jOytAYgr
— Space Ayakosarin (@ayakosarin) October 17, 2016
CATINHO about to bring that heat. 🔥 https://t.co/3On6ddDszU
— Miring’u (@miriingu) October 17, 2016
You could almost sense what was coming…
There are probably already about 200 'Black Cat at Anfield' Twitter accounts. #LIVMUN
— Paddy Power (@paddypower) October 17, 2016
Anyone starting a twitter account for the cat that was just on the pitch at Anfield needs putting on a register somewhere.
— Simon (@simonmhirst) October 17, 2016
See your dad's checking if the Twitter username '@AnfieldCatinho' is available.
— FootballJOE (@FootballJOE) October 17, 2016
And then it did…
Evening fellas.
— Yer Da (@AnfieldCatinho) October 17, 2016
United’s Twitter account was inundated with cat-related jokes…
https://twitter.com/Nasser4lkhalaf/status/788088568245878784?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
https://twitter.com/I_am_Dai/status/788089053921017857?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Obviously people couldn’t resist a dig at Gerrard too…
2015 – Gerrard on the Anfield pitch for 39 seconds.
2016 – Cat on the Anfield pitch for 49 seconds. pic.twitter.com/TwzQqHRpRO" #Quality
— Brian O'Leary ★ (@BrianOLeary511) October 17, 2016
The black cat's been on the pitch longer than Gerrard last year
— Celestine Baba Yaga (@jugaadist) October 17, 2016
Some people were convinced it was bad news…
Black cat on Anfield? Liverpool will lose! #MANUTD #LIVERPOOL
— Zee (@ZeeJenkinz) October 17, 2016
https://twitter.com/Fraudiesta/status/788094555090452480
Anfield cat working wonders already https://t.co/AAh9PuhDQL
— Dinesh Kumar (@DHardayal) October 17, 2016
https://twitter.com/ExcelJosaphine/status/788090763976384512
This guy was just pissed at how the crafty little blighter had snuck in…
How can a cat sneak into Anfield yet I can't sneak a bottle lid through 🤔🤔🤔
— Connor Beirne (@_CBeirne) October 17, 2016
Had to be a publicity stunt, though, didn’t it?
https://twitter.com/ciaran_30/status/788106829251346433
But by the end people were desperate for more…
#LIVMUN bring on the anfield cat this is dross! #COYB #kags
— Roberta Jane Upton ProEU (@robertajane_U) October 17, 2016
https://twitter.com/theefunklord/status/788100150698934272
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