Liverpool star was denied dream shirt number due to Premier League problem

Below is a summary of the full article. Click here for the full version from Liverpool.com or go back to LFC Live.

Jari Litmanen found as much when he joined Liverpool in 2001, hoping to claim a particular jersey number. Yet Liverpool did not lay out the red carpet when it came to jersey numbers.

"But they told me that was too high and would be the biggest number in the league." Whether because of the unspoken pressure of defying Premier League norms or else some secret league rule, Liverpool did not assign 77 to Litmanen. "Three times seven – Keegan, Dalglish and me." Jari Litmanen ultimately picked the number 37 at Liverpool (Image: Phil Cole/ALLSPORT) Even this was the second-highest number in the Liverpool squad at the time.

Litmanen fared a little better, making 43 appearances in all competitions across his Liverpool career. Nevertheless, he looks back fondly on his time with Liverpool (which included a famous treble), and he has returned for recent Legends matches.