Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher work as pundits for Sky Sports
Sky Sports pundits, Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher have condemned the racial abuse aimed at AFC Bournemouth striker, Antoine Semenyo during Friday night’s Premier League opener at Anfield.
The Ghana international was subjected to abuse in the first half, forcing a brief halt to play.
Despite Liverpool securing a 4-2 victory, Semenyo scored a brace, demonstrating resilience in the face of the incident.
Neville, the former Manchester United defender, voiced his dismay at the situation, stating: “It overshadows what should be an amazing night. The first day of the Premier League season, a beautiful day.
“And that boy has [reported being] racially abused. It’s despicable. I can’t imagine what is going through that fan’s mind.
“However, it has happened. It will keep on happening. It’s a sorry state.”
Carragher, who played for Liverpool, added: “With the amount of campaigns we have, it’s shocking to see an incident like that.
Watch Antoine Semenyo’s two goals against against Liverpool on Premier League opening day
“A shocking incident and rightly reported to the referee.”
Semenyo will now aim to build on his strong start when Bournemouth face Wolves next weekend at the Vitality Stadium.
The 25-year-old is hoping to replicate last season’s success, during which he scored 11 goals in the Premier League, as he looks to help the Cherries mount another competitive campaign.
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