Man, 47, arrested after Bournemouth striker Antoine Semenyo 'racially abused' during Premier League opener
A Liverpool fan has been arrested after Bournemouth's Antoine Semenyo was 'racially abused' during the opening game of the Premier League season.
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The season opener between Liverpool and AFC Bournemouth was temporarily halted after racist abuse was directed towards the striker.
The Bournemouth player was reportedly the subject of discriminatory language in the match's first half, and play was paused as a result.
Now, Merseyside Police have confirmed a 47-year-old man has been arrested.
The man, from the Liverpool area, was identified and removed from Anfield Stadium following initial reports of abusive behaviour.
He was arrested on Saturday on suspicion of a racially aggravated public order offence and taken into custody for questioning.
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Shortly after new Reds striker Hugo Ektike scored the opener at Anfield, referee Anthony Taylor halted play calling Liverpool head coach Arne Slot and Iraola together with the fourth official Farai Hallam to tell them the Semenyo had reported a racist comment from a fan at the front of the Main Stand.
The match was later resumed and the Premier League has said it will investigate.
It is also understood police visited the officials' dressing room at half-time.
Liverpool then raced into a 2-0 lead courtesy of Cody Gakpo - but after half-time Semenyo scored two goals to claw Bournemouth back onto level terms.
But the champions managed to get an opening day win courtesy of Italian Federico Chiesa and talisman Mohammed Salah who scored late goals to secure Liverpool's first three points of the season in a 4-2 victory.
The Premier League confirmed in a statement: "This is in line with the Premier League's on-field anti-discrimination protocol.
"The incident at Anfield will now be fully investigated.
"We offer our full support to the player and both clubs. Racism has no place in our game, or anywhere in society.
"We will continue to work with stakeholders and authorities to ensure our stadiums are an inclusive and welcoming environment for all."
The match marked the first time that Liverpool had played a competitive match since the tragic death of striker Diogo Jota during the summer.
In the Kop stand, there was a banner dedicated to Jota's family, who in the week Slot said he expected to be in attendance, which said 'Anfield will always be your home. You'll never walk alone', while Bournemouth fans brought their own which read 'Diogo Jota. 20 Together'.
Perimeter hoardings read 'Rest in peace Diogo Jota and Andre Silva', and fans in the Sir Kenny Dalglish Stand and the Kop held 'AS 30' and 'DJ 20' mosaics during the minute's silence while Jota's song was sung at kick-off.
Ekitike extended his own tribute by signalling a two and a zero - Jota's now-retired shirt number - with his fingers after his 37th minute goal.
Salah was last to leave the pitch, with tears in his eyes, having stood applauding the Kop singing Jota's song.