Man Utd vow to ´educate fans´ following homophobic chants at Chelsea

Manchester United acknowledged some supporters engaged in homophobic chanting during Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Chelsea, subsequently vowing to work with fan groups to curb such incidents.

The abuse directed towards Chelsea at Stamford Bridge occurred on the first day of Premier League football dedicating itself to Stonewall’s Rainbow Laces campaign this season.

The Premier League confirmed during the week that every top-flight fixture between October 22 and 30 was to celebrate the LGBTQ+ inclusion initiative, with captains wearing rainbow-themed armbands.

United had also launched their own One Love campaign this weekend as they looked to “demonstrate the club’s unity and allyship with LGBTQ+ groups”.

But after Chelsea condemned the offending chants on Sunday, United pledged their continued support to fighting homophobia.

The statement read: “Homophobia, like all forms of discrimination, has no place in football. Manchester United is proud of our diverse fan base and the work we have done to reduce instances like we sadly heard at Stamford Bridge.

“We will continue to campaign for inclusivity and to tackle discriminatory abuse whether inside stadiums or online.

“This includes working with fan groups to educate fans on the offence which discriminatory language causes.”