Racist Chant Mars Chelsea’s Away Win at Spurs as Man Utd Flops at Watford

Racist Chant Mars Chelsea’s Away Win at Spurs as Man Utd Flops at Watford

It was different fortune for two top sides Chelsea and Manchester United aiming better their respective placement on the log last night but Tottenham’s Premier League game against the London side appeared to be marred by racist behaviour from the crowd.

While Frank Lampard got the best out of the crucial encounter against his former Manager, Jose Mourinho with 2-0 win at Spurs new stadium, the racist even and another red card against Son was the talking point of the encounter.

Referee Anthony Taylor stopped the game in the second half after an object was thrown on to the pitch and he was approached by Blues defender Antonio Rudiger.

An address made over the public address system then warned “racist behaviour is interfering with the game”.

Second and third announcements followed with the game heading towards its end.

Uefa’s three-step protocol says that a game can be abandoned if fans have been warned twice before.

Speaking at the game, former Newcastle and Tottenham midfielder Jermaine Jenas said: “With the technology they have in this stadium, I would be shocked if they could not pinpoint the individual.

“That person will be isolated and dealt with accordingly. There is no place for it but I want more than an announcement.

“I do not want them back in the stadium ever again – sadly some people are that ignorant.”

A supporter was arrested and bailed over allegations of racist abuse against Manchester United players during their Premier League match at Manchester City on 7 December.

A video had been circulated on social media of a man appearing to make monkey gestures and sounds towards United players at Etihad Stadium.

Earlier in the day, Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer came to the defence of David De Gea after the goalkeeper’s blunder proved pivotal in a 2-0 loss away to Premier League bottom side Watford.

The Vicarage Road clash was still goalless when De Gea somehow allowed a tame, spinning effort from Ismaila Sarr to creep through his hands and in at the near post.

Watford doubled their lead four minutes later when Troy Deeney fired home from the penalty spot after Aaron Wan-Bissaka brought down Sarr with a misjudged sliding tackle and not even the returning Paul Pogba, on as a second-half substitute, could prevent defeat.

But what irked Solskjaer more than De Gea’s mistake was the pace of United’s play.

“We started the game slow,” Solskjaer told Sky Sports.

“The first half was very, very poor from both sides and when you concede two goals like we did in quick succession with their two shots on target we gave ourselves too much to do.

“It was too slow, it was like a testimonial in the first half from both teams,” he added after a defeat that left United in eighth place and continued their run of poor results against lower-ranked teams in the top flight – a marked contrast to their recent wins over Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City.

“I’m very disappointed because we have to get more points against teams, like today,” said Solskjaer.

“I’m sure they were low in confidence because they must be when you’re bottom of the table.

“We were high in confidence because we’ve done well lately but it just wasn’t there. There was no intent or urgency to make us deserve to win the game.”

“There’s no excuses at all,” he added. “We prepared well and there’s nothing I can put my finger on.”

United’s five league losses this term have come against Crystal Palace, West Ham, Newcastle, Bournemouth and now Watford.

As for Spain international De Gea’s howler, Solskjaer said: “It was a mistake, it happens in football and it is what we train for every day to make sure they don’t happen again. David has been very good lately, it is just one of those things that happen.

“You have to earn every point on the pitch and today we didn’t deserve that.

This was just Watford’s second league win this season and first of the campaign at home as they marked new manager Nigel Pearson’s first match in charge at Vicarage Road in style.

Although the Hornets remain at the foot of the table, they are now level on points with second-bottom Norwich and a mere six shy of safety.

Victory followed an impressive display in a defeat last time out at leaders Liverpool and Deeney said: “We’ve been close (to winning) for ages now.

“People are looking and see us at the bottom of the league but performances like Liverpool, Leicester before that, there are games we’re thinking we should have won.”

“It was a great team performance, lots of people did a proper shift and I’m happy for everyone here that they can have a decent Christmas.”

Deeney’s goal was his first since April but the striker insisted he had not felt under pressure to score.

“Real pressure is watching my mum work three jobs trying to make ends meet for Christmas,” he said.

“This is football.”

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