PaddyPower have installed Liverpool as the 7/1 favourites for the Europa League having crashed out of the Champions League last night. However whilst pundits speculate on what has gone wrong at Anfield, the bookmaker has pinpointed what might be the real reason for Liverpool’s woes: Rafa Benitez’s beard.

Much has been written in the past that managers with beards don’t win trophies and with Liverpool failing to win a trophy since Rafa grew his goatee PaddyPower are offering 12/1 that Benitez removes his bristles before Liverpool’s crucial Merseyside derby against Everton on Sunday.

A statesperson from online bookmaker PaddyPower said: “It would appear suspicious Liverpool fans were right all along. Their worst fears over the Benitez beard have come true so perhaps losing the goatee could bring the change of fortune The Reds so desperately need. So come on Rafa, give Liverpool fans some hope and lose the beard - the 12/1 bet could be their only winner this season.”

Other Liverpool bets include 9/4 that they manage to finish fourth this season whilst it’s 33/1 that Liverpool and Everton meet in this season’s Europa Cup Final and 22/1 that The Toffees knock out Liverpool in the tournament. Should Liverpool’s season go from bad to worse, they are 7/2 to be dumped out of the FA Cup in January’s third round.