Tweet ’n sour
Mount: We must make our home a stronghold
KICK IT OUT have called on football chiefs to act on Bernardo Silva’s “offensive” tweet.
Football Association bosses have written to Manchester City to ask for their observations and will then decide whether to take further action.
City’s Portugal star Bernardo posted an image appearing to compare team-mate Benjamin Mendy to a mascot for a Spanish chocolate peanut brand.
Bernardo stressed the tweet was a joke and it is understood that he is close friends with Mendy from their days together at Monaco. No offence was intended and the tweet was deleted soon afterwards.
But it prompted a fierce backlash on social media before Kick It Out then
intervened with a strongly worded statement urging the FA to get involved.
Kick It Out said: “Racist stereotypes are never acceptable as banter.
“And we’re shocked that someone who is a role model to millions has failed to understand the discriminatory nature of his post.
“The FA have been notified and we believe that retrospective action should be taken, including mandatory education, which is vital to challenge offensive behaviour such as this.”
It remains to be seen whether the FA will take stronger action against the 25-year-old winger but have now been in touch with City over the tweet.
The FA, Premier League and EFL met with Twitter bosses last week to discuss problems and abuse on social media.
CHELSEA midfielder Mason Mount says they must turn Stamford Bridge into a fortress to compete in the battle for a top-four finish.
The Blues are stuck in 11th place after six games and they are yet to win at home this season under new boss Frank Lampard.
But Mount insists Chelsea can still finish in the top four this season because the race for Champions League places is wide open.
He said: “Look at the table and how many good teams there are. It’s very open and obviously we are looking to secure that top position, so we just need to keep working hard.
“We know how difficult this league is and so we need to stay concentrated and switched on.
“But if you look at the games we have had, we can take positives from every game. We need to win games at home, that’s a big focus.
“We are doing well away and now the focus is building that fortress at home and when teams come here, they know it will be a tough game.
“We are going through a spell when we are getting little bits wrong here and there and, as a result, we are getting punished for it.”
Chelsea were condemned to defeat by Liverpool on Sunday, just five days after losing to Valencia in the Champions League.
But Mount added: “We are positive straight after the game, focusing now on our next two home games (against Grimsby in the Carabao Cup and Brighton in the Premier League) and wanting to win them.
“Once you get that first home win and get that momentum building, then hopefully we can carry that on.”
Mount is honest about Chelsea’s biggest failing this season, saying: “It is set-pieces that are causing some trouble.
‘‘Liverpool scored two and when you go 2-0 down, then, it is quite tough to get back into the game.
“If you switch off at set-pieces at this level, then, you get punished. It happened twice, so that’s something we will look at and we have been looking at – we’ll keep working on it.
“I thought Liverpool didn’t create much in open play. We just need to be concentrated when the ball goes out of play, so we are switched on and ready for anything to happen.”
Meanwhile, Callum Hudson-Odoi is set to make his Chelsea comeback after five months out through an Achilles injury when he faces Grimsby in the Carabao Cup tomorrow. ■