Chelsea manager Graham Potter has reacted to the derogatory chants sung by Manchester United fans during their clash at Stamford Bridge on Saturday evening.
The points were shared on the night after an exhilarating end to the match that saw an 87th-minute Chelsea penalty converted by Jorginho and injury time equaliser headed home by Casemiro.
An unfortunate talking point that arose from the game was that the away fans had allegedly sung homophobic chants.
Whilst in any situation this is unacceptable, this falls on a weekend in which the Premier League and clubs across England are actively celebrating inclusion and diversity across football by endorsing Stonewall’s Rainbow Laces campaign.
???? Football is for everyone ????#RainbowLaces pic.twitter.com/fv9oHIW6Lt
— Premier League (@premierleague) October 22, 2022
Captain’s armbands over the next two match weeks will be rainbow-themed and ball plinths, handshake boards and LED perimeter boards will display important messages. Premier League Chief Executive Richard Masters issued a statement ahead of the first match round, saying: “We have an important role to play in using the power and reach of football to encourage fans to show support for LGBTQ+ people.”
Chelsea address derogatory chants
Post-match, when questioned on the matter, Graham Potter said: “Well, it’s clear we still have a lot of work to do.”
The club have since released a statement condemning any offensive language used at their stadium. They stated: “We are proud to be supporting Stonewall’s Rainbow Laces campaign and today acts as proof that we must do more to make football a game for everyone.”
The full statement can be found below.
Chelsea FC released the below statement following today's fixture with Manchester United.
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) October 22, 2022