Anthony Martial subjected to online racist abuse after Manchester United’s draw with West Brom

Manchester United star Anthony Martial subjected to racist abuse yet again over social media after his side’s draw with West Brom… with Instagram slammed by Kick It Out chief Troy Townsend for their ‘slap on the wrist’ punishments for trolls

  • Anthony Martial received racist abuse after Man United’s draw at West Brom
  • The French forward played 66 minutes of the Premier League game on Sunday 
  • Martial received abuse too after the defeat against Sheffield United in January
  • Kick It Out condemned the abuse as well as social media’s punishments for trolls 

Anthony Martial was the victim of racial abuse on social media once again after Manchester United’s 1-1 draw at West Bromwich Albion on Sunday afternoon. 

The French forward started the match before being taken off on 66 minutes as Ole Gunnar Solskajer’s side slipped up in their Premier League title charge and now lie seven points behind leaders Manchester City.

After the match, messages of racial hatred – including various symbols such as abhorrent gorilla emojis, and expletives – were seen on Martial’s Instagram account. 

Anthony Martial was the victim of racial abuse after Man United’s 1-1 draw at West Brom

Messages of racial hatred were seen on Martial's social media pages on Sunday afternoon

Messages of racial hatred were seen on Martial’s social media pages on Sunday afternoon

This is the second time the 25-year-old has been targeted with racial abuse since the turn of the year. Martial received similar messages along with United team-mates Marcus Rashford and Axel Tuanzebe following a 2-1 defeat to Sheffield United.

Other Premier League footballers, including Chelsea duo Reece James and Antonio Rudiger along with West Brom’s Romaine Sawyers, have reported racial abuse on social media directed at them in recent weeks. 

Kick It Out representative Troy Townsend took a screenshot of the abuse aimed at Martial and tweeted: ‘Let me break my Sunday silence and just say here we go again. It’s so predictable now, it makes a mockery of Instagrams comments this week. 

Martial received similar levels of abuse along with United team-mate Marcus Rashford (left) and Axel Tuanzebe after a defeat to Sheffield United in January

Martial received similar levels of abuse along with United team-mate Marcus Rashford (left) and Axel Tuanzebe after a defeat to Sheffield United in January

Kick It Out representative Troy Townsend slammed the abuse of Martial on Sunday night

Kick It Out representative Troy Townsend slammed the abuse of Martial on Sunday night

‘I wonder if this account will be barred for a month and collect their “Insta slap on the wrist” and “don’t do that again” talk.’

As revealed by Sportsmail this weekend, Premier League clubs appealed to social media companies – including Twitter and Facebook – to stop users creating anonymous accounts, though the request was denied.  

Earlier on Sunday, former Manchester United defender Gary Neville ordered social media companies to delete and deactivate accounts found to be directing this type of abuse at footballers.

Gary Neville called on social media companies to delete accounts found to be spreading hate

Gary Neville called on social media companies to delete accounts found to be spreading hate

Neville told Sky Sports: ‘Social media has become a vehicle for a lot of abuse, but there’s been a lot of abuse in football stadiums over the last 15 to 20 years as well. It’s not just social media.

‘It’s a positive when used correctly as football stadiums are in full flow. Every arena can be negative. Football stadiums can be negative, social media can be negative.

‘There’s an accountability on social media, people think when they’re behind phones they are protected. They need to remove that protection and be made accountable for what they say in the same way if they had said that to somebody in the street.’