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Arrest at Hill Dickinson
A 71-year-old Everton supporter was arrested on suspicion of racially aggravated public order offence after racist abuse directed at Manchester City’s Antoine Semenyo during Monday’s 3-3 Premier League draw at Hill Dickinson Stadium.
“Merseyside Police arrested a 71-year-old man on suspicion of a racially aggravated public order offence”
Merseyside Police moved after supporters and stewards reported the incident, and Everton confirmed the arrest in a statement released after the match.
Flashscore and The Independent both describe the same core sequence: the match ended 3-3, the incident was reported by stewards and fans, and the suspect was bailed with conditions.
The restrictions included preventing him from going within one mile of any designated sports stadium for a period of up to four hours before kick-off and four hours after the final whistle, as stated in multiple reports.
The Independent also frames the arrest as following “Monday’s 3-3 draw at Hill Dickinson Stadium,” while the Guardian similarly places the incident “during their 3-3 draw at Everton on Monday” at Hill Dickinson Stadium.
In parallel, Manchester City issued a statement condemning the abuse and saying it welcomed “the swift action taken by Everton and the police to identify the individual responsible.”
The match context in the reports ties the incident to a title race moment, with the Guardian stating that “The draw handed the advantage to Arsenal in the race for the Premier League title.”
City, Everton and the bail
Everton’s statement, as reproduced across outlets, emphasized both the club’s zero-tolerance posture and the mechanics of the police action.
Flashscore quotes Everton’s condemnation: “Racism and discrimination in all forms are completely unacceptable. They have no place in our stadia, our sport or in society, and behaviour of this nature will not be tolerated.”
The Independent repeats the same Everton line and adds that “A swift response from fellow supporters, stewards and Merseyside Police led to the individual being identified and appropriate action taken.”
The Guardian likewise includes Everton’s statement that “A swift response from fellow supporters, stewards and Merseyside police led to the individual being identified and appropriate action taken.”
Manchester City’s response focused on Semenyo and also expanded to a second front involving Marc Guehi.
City said: “Manchester City strongly condemns the racist abuse directed towards Antoine Semenyo at yesterday’s match,” and it added, “We welcome the swift action taken by Everton and the police to identify the individual responsible.”
In the same statement, City said it was “incredibly disappointed to hear that Marc Guehi was subject to a series of vile racist social media posts last night,” and it pledged: “We will continue to offer our full support to both Antoine and Marc and never accept discrimination of any kind in our game.”
A second Semenyo incident
Multiple reports describe the Everton arrest as the second time this season that Antoine Semenyo was subjected to racist abuse serious enough to trigger police action.
“Second incident for Semenyo this season”
Flashscore states: “Second incident for Semenyo this season,” and it says Semenyo “endured a similar ordeal earlier in the campaign when a fan was arrested after racially abusing him at Anfield during Bournemouth's opening-day fixture against Liverpool.”
The Guardian similarly notes: “Semenyo was also targeted when playing for Bournemouth against Liverpool at Anfield last August.”
The New York Times provides additional detail about that earlier episode, saying a Liverpool supporter was arrested after Semenyo, then playing for Bournemouth, reported an alleged incident of racist abuse during his team’s 3-2 defeat at Anfield, and that “the game was paused by referee Anthony Taylor.”
It also reports that the fan “was charged with using offensive and racially aggravated language and pleaded not guilty,” and that the trial was adjourned after a psychiatric assessment ruled the man “not fit to take part in the court proceedings.”
Stamford Advocate adds that Semenyo was targeted in the earlier incident “while preparing to take a throw-in during Bournemouth’s 4-2 loss at Anfield in August,” and it says the match was paused “for the man to be ejected from the stadium.”
Ouest-France, meanwhile, describes a related earlier timeline: it says on Monday, August 18, 2025, police announced the supporter who directed racist insults at Semenyo “has been banned from stadiums in the United Kingdom while the investigation's conclusions are pending.”
Semenyo’s response and investigation
While the Everton arrest dominated the immediate news, Semenyo’s earlier response to racist insults at Anfield and the Premier League’s investigation were also highlighted in the reporting.
L'Équipe quotes Semenyo’s Instagram message after Liverpool’s 4-2 victory over Bournemouth, writing: “Last night at Anfield will be etched in my memory, not because of the words of a single person, but thanks to the solidarity of the entire football family.”
In the same piece, Semenyo credited the Premier League and the broader sport, saying: “football has shown its best face at the most crucial moment,” and he added that “Scoring those two goals was like speaking the only language that really matters on the pitch.”
L'Équipe also reports that the Premier League “has opened an investigation,” and it ties the match interruption to referee Anthony Taylor, stating that “the match referee Anthony Taylor had interrupted the match for a few minutes, a little before the half-hour mark.”
Ouest-France similarly describes the Anfield match as being halted in the 29th minute after Semenyo told the referee about racist insults coming from the stands, and it says the Ghanaian winger “said on Saturday that this incident would mark him forever.”
The Ouest-France account also states that the supporter was “ejected from Anfield Stadium after the match was interrupted,” and that police released him while banning him from attending regulated football matches in the United Kingdom.
In the Everton case, the reports focus on the police action and club statements rather than Semenyo’s direct quote, but the same pattern of investigation and interruption appears across outlets.
Title race and online abuse
The Everton-Manchester City match ended 3-3, and the reports connect the racist abuse incident to the broader sporting stakes of the Premier League title race.
“The draw handed the advantage to Arsenal in the race for the Premier League title”
The Guardian says “The draw handed the advantage to Arsenal in the race for the Premier League title,” while Flashscore frames the result as leaving City with reduced options because “now the Arsenal depends of itself to lift the title.”
Flashscore also states that Jeremy Doku scored in stoppage time, describing the match as “an enthralling encounter,” and it notes that Doku’s goal rescued a draw for Pep Guardiola’s side.
Flashscore’s account also emphasizes that the abuse was not confined to the stadium, because City raised “the further issue regarding Marc Guehi, who had been subjected to a series of racist social media posts in the hours following the match.”
The Independent similarly reports that City “offering their support to both the winger and defender Marc Guehi, who was targeted on social media after his mistake led to Everton’s first goal.”
The New York Times adds that Guehi posted on Instagram, including the line: “I need to do better, but we keep going and (are) focused on the next (match),” and it includes another post: “Thank you for your support as always!”
In the background of the Everton arrest, the reports also provide league-position context and Everton’s form, including that City were “five points behind the leader Arsenal, with three matchdays remaining.”
