Wigan star trolls Everton with Liverpool gesture after scoring first goal at new stadium | Football | Sport

The first goal scored at Everton’s new stadium was meant to be a memorable occasion. But Wigan Athletic star Harrison Rimmer managed to spoil the party after celebrating with a cheeky Liverpool gesture.

The youngster was caught by television cameras aiming a cheeky gesture to the fans in the crowd, holding up four fingers and both of his thumbs to display a ‘six’ in an apparent reference to the Reds’ six European Cups.

It came on the same night that Everton hosted a test event at their brand-new Bramley Moore Dock Stadium on Monday, with 10,000 supporters getting a first look inside their new 52,000-seater home as their under-18s took on Wigan’s youth team.

The game was also streamed live on YouTube to ensure that fans at home could get involved in case they were not lucky enough to watch the game in the flesh.

But things got off to a rocky start for the Merseyside outfit when Wigan took an early lead – and one of their young midfielders decided to make a name for himself.

It was fitting that Rimmer, 18, was the man to put the Latics in front after 12 minutes at the daunting new arena. As most fans on Merseyside would know, the reference appeared to be linked to the six European trophies won by Everton’s neighbours Liverpool.

Former Reds boss Jurgen Klopp famously performed a similar gesture when sat on top of the club’s open top bus after winning the Champions League in 2019. The German incrementally counted six on his fingers and smiled to the cameras.

It was made only more interesting by the fact that Rimmer used to play for Everton during his formative years, before joining Wigan’s academy in 2017.

While the circumstances around his move are not known, Rimmer had the last laugh in celebrating as a Liverpool fan and in front of his former club.

His strike means he is the first player to score a goal at the new stadium, which will be a moment the youngster surely remembers for the first of his life.

And his bold celebration in front of thousands of Evertonians saw Rimmer go viral on social media as fans applauded his daring exploits in the home of Liverpool‘s rivals.

It comes less than a week after the Merseyside derby at Goodison Park, where Everton denied Liverpool all three points with a last-minute goal to draw 2-2.

Wigan were in dreamland four minutes later when Cole Simms, 17, grabbed a second for the visitors to ensure they went into half time with a commanding 2-0 lead.

Ray Roberts, 16, reduced the arrears with a penalty but Everton’s youngsters went on to lose 2-1.

While Everton fans fumed with Rimmer’s gesture on social media, Liverpool and Wigan supporters commended the teenager for his gutsy celebration, which won’t be forgotten in a hurry by any of their fanbases.