A man has been taken into custody after Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo reported being subjected to racial abuse during the club’s Premier League season opener against Liverpool at Anfield.
The incident occurred in the 29th minute of Friday’s fixture, prompting a brief stoppage after Semenyo raised his concerns with the referee.
Merseyside Police confirmed that a 47-year-old man from Liverpool was identified, ejected from the stadium, and later arrested on Saturday on suspicion of a racially aggravated public order offence.
Play resumed four minutes later, with Semenyo going on to score twice, though Bournemouth eventually fell 4-2 to the defending champions.
Bournemouth skipper Adam Smith praised his teammate’s composure, telling Sky Sports, “It shows what kind of man he is to report it to the ref and carry on. The Liverpool players were very supportive to Ant and the rest of the team.”
On Saturday, Semenyo released a heartfelt statement via Instagram, writing, “Last night at Anfield will stay with me forever – not because of one person’s words, but because of how the entire football family stood together.
“To my Bournemouth team-mates who supported me in that moment, to the Liverpool players and fans who showed their true character, to the Premier League officials who handled it professionally – thank you. Football showed its best side when it mattered most.”
Both the Premier League and the Football Association confirmed that investigations are underway.
The FA said, “Incidents of this nature have no place in our game, and we will work closely with the match officials, the clubs and the relevant authorities to establish the facts and ensure the appropriate action is taken.”
Anti-discrimination charity Kick It Out also backed the player, stating, “We stand in solidarity with Antoine and can’t praise him enough for his courage in calling this out after such a distressing episode before going on to score twice. Anthony Taylor and his refereeing team also deserve credit for acting swiftly and decisively.”
Liverpool manager Arne Slot admitted the episode overshadowed what was otherwise a memorable night at Anfield, saying, “It takes the shine off [the game] a bit because our fans were amazing, especially with the tributes to Diogo.”
The match was Liverpool’s first at Anfield since the tragic passing of forward Diogo Jota, who died in a car accident in Spain last month at the age of 28 alongside his brother, Andre Silva, 25. Before kick-off, fans honoured them with a stirring rendition of ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’, a moment of silence, and a striking mosaic across the Kop and Sir Kenny Dalglish stand displaying ‘DJ20’ and ‘AS30’.
