This is Luis Suarez wearing a shirt in support of Luis Suarez

Prior to Liverpool's match against Wigan on Tuesday -- a day after the FA announced Luis Suarez will be banned eight matches (pending appeal) for using a racial insult against Patrice Evra -- all the Liverpool players, including Luis Suarez wore special T-shirts in support of Luis Suarez.

The shirts featured a picture of a celebrating Suarez on the front and "Suarez 7" on the back. The gesture was accompanied by yet another official statement from Liverpool, this time attributed to the players (presumably including Luis Suarez):

Luis Suarez is our teammate and our friend and as a group of players we are shocked and angered that he has been found guilty by the FA.

We totally support Luis and we want the world to know that. We know he is not racist.

We are a squad of many different nationalities and backgrounds. All of us support the Club's commitment to fighting racism. All of us accept there is no place in the game for any form of discrimination. As a group of players we totally support the Kick it Out Campaign.

We have lived, trained and played with Luis for almost 12 months and we don't recognise the way he has been portrayed. We will continue to support Luis through this difficult period, and as a popular and respected friend of all his teammates, he will not walk alone.

And, for the third time in two days, we must remind that this footballer is not accused/found guilty of being a racist. He's accused/found guilty of saying a racial insult.

As the BBC's Ian McGarry said, and The Score's Ric! hard Whi ttall already echoed, "Surely it would have been more appropriate if #LFC players wore Kick It Out T-shirts in the warm up." Especially since they "totally support" the organization that already put out a statement in support of the FA's position.

Between this and the club's initial statement, I'm start to think this is all Liverpool's (clever?) way of showing that they see this matter as a farce.

Photo: Reuters