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Gary Neville slammed the alleged racist abuse towards Antoine Semenyo during Liverpool vs Bournemouth.(Image: Photo by James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images)

Gary Neville has slammed the 'despicable' racist abuse directed at AFC Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo during their Premier League encounter against Liverpool.

The alleged incident occurred during the first-half of the top-flight opener when the Cherries player made referee Anthony Taylor aware of a comment from the stands.

Play was halted for a number of minutes with players, management staff and stadium officials involved in a discussion pitchside.



Play continued but Taylor was seen to be comforting the 25-year-old following the encounter.

Sky Sports commentator Peter Drury confirmed that the alleged incident was of a racial nature and during the half-time interval, both Neville and former Reds defender Jamie Carragher criticised the event.

"Kelly it overshadows an amazing night, the first game of the Premier League season, a beautiful day, 62,000 people in the stadium and that boy has basically be racially abused," said Neville.

"He's had to go over to a referee and complain about it, it's despicable.

I can't begin to think what will go through that person's mind, it will happen, it will keep on happening, it's a sorry state."

Carragher added: "You can see everyone getting together, not quite sure what's going on.

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"All the campaigns we have all across the world, it's shocking.

I mean, it's a shocking incident and rightly reported to the referee."

After Taylor blew the whistle for half-time, an anti-discrimination message was read out to the crowd inside Anfield.

It comes after Tottenham forward Mathys Tel was the subject of racist abuse after he was one of two Spurs players to miss a penalty during their shootout defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Super Cup.

The Premier League released a statement shortly after the incident and offered support to the player involved, both clubs and vowed to continue to work to make stadiums a safer environment for everyone.

A statement read: "We offer our full support to the player and both clubs.

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