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LONDON. — Anthony Martial was racially abused on social media after Manchester United’s 1-1 draw with lowly West Bromwich Albion in the English Premiership yesterday.
Martial played 66 minutes before being replaced by Mason Greenwood as United came back to level against West Brom after going behind inside two minutes.
After the game, Martial was subjected to abuse on his Instagram account, with a number of users posting racist messages and symbols on his photos, and using the N-word.
It comes not long after Martial — along with teammate Axel Tuanzebe — was abused after the team’s loss to Sheffield United on January 27.
Last weekend, United joined Manchester City, Liverpool and Everton to issue a joint statement condemning racist abuse as more players, such as United’s Marcus Rashford and Southampton teenager Alex Jankewitz, were targeted on social media.
In response, Instagram announced it will impose stricter penalties, including the removal of accounts, to prevent abusive messages on its platform after the growing number of cases.
Bruno Fernandes’ stunning volley salvaged a point for Manchester United at struggling West Brom, but Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side lost further ground in the Premier League title race.
United moved back above Leicester in second place, but are now seven points behind leaders Manchester City, who also have a game in hand.
The Baggies took a shock lead after just 83 seconds as on-loan striker Mbaye Diagne outmuscled Victor Lindelof to head in from Conor Gallagher’s cross.
United were finding it difficult to make inroads in a lacklustre opening period until Fernandes hooked Luke Shaw’s cross into the top corner with his weaker left foot.
The visitors improved in the second half, Mason Greenwood testing Sam Johnstone with a low strike and Scott McTominay seeing his follow up cleared off the line.
With time running out, skipper Harry Maguire leapt to send his header towards the top corner, but Johnstone tipped the effort against the post to deny United an injury-time winner.
Sam Allardyce’s side could have won it themselves late on, but Diagne struck his effort over the crossbar from six yards out.
Though they claimed a draw, West Brom remain in deep trouble at the wrong end of the table, second from bottom and 12 points from safety
A poor start from United proved costly, they had won eight games on the road having fallen behind this season, but on this occasion were not able to find a second goal to seal the three points.
Solskjaer’s side extended their unbeaten away run in the league to 19 games but that will be of little consolation as they dropped points against a team staring at relegation, just as they did against Sheffield United in late January.
United’s last title triumph came in 2012-13, with Sir Alex Ferguson’s last game in-charge at The Hawthorns, but the prospect of number 21 in 2021 looks to be fading.
They conceded within two minutes courtesy of Diagne getting ahead of Lindelof to the ball, but the often-criticised Swede should have been stronger and reacted quicker.
De Gea, who conceded poor goals against Everton last time out, was hesitant too and could have come off his line for a ball which was lobbed to the edge of the six yard box.
On a day when defensive target Dayot Upamecano agreed to join Bayern Munich from RB Leipzig, Solskjaer must surely have cast an eye to the summer and the need to bring in a centre-back to shore up a backline that has conceded 31 goals, the most of any club in the top nine.
At the other end, Fernandes’ goal was magical — drawing comparisons with Zinedine Zidane’s famous strike in the 2002 Champions League final – but that was their high point from an attacking perspective.
Martial was once again anonymous and withdrawn on 65 minutes.
His replacement, Greenwood, went close and skipper Maguire thought he had a penalty when he was bundled over by Semi Ajayi and referee Craig Pawson pointed to the spot.
But after consultation with the VAR and viewing the replay on the pitchside monitor, the decision was overturned.
Maguire could still have won it deep in injury-time but could not divert his header past Johnstone. Meanwhile, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s first Premier League hat-trick guided Arsenal to a 4-2 victory over a leaky Leeds at the Emirates despite the visitors’ late rally.
Arsenal were 3-0 up at half-time for the first time in the Premier League since February 2018 as Leeds crumbled, and it was Aubameyang, who has now scored more goals in his last four Premier League appearances (5) than he had in his previous 16, benefiting most. First, Aubameyang’s clever, flash finish into the near post from 15 yards (13) put Arsenal ahead, before the Gabon striker doubled his and the Gunners’ tally with a penalty after goalkeeper Illan Meslier mistake, dwelling too long on the ball before fouling Bukayo Saka (41).
Hector Bellerin’s first goal of the season made it 3-0 on the stroke of half-time, again finishing at the near post following superb Arsenal interplay in the box (45), and Aubameyang got his hat-trick after the break with a far-post header from Emile Smith Rowe’s cross-shot (47).
As ever with Leeds, there was entertainment at both ends as Marcelo Bielsa’s side caused a scare, halving the deficit through Pascal Struijk’s bullet header (58) and sub Helder Costa’s close-range finish (69), but Arsenal saw the game out.
The result means Arsenal leapfrog Leeds into 10th, though Leeds are two points behind with a game in hand. — SkySports/BBC
Online Reporter