The FA has confirmed that it is investigating the homophobic chanting which was heard during Manchester United's 3-1 victory over Everton on Friday.
It is understood that the chant was aimed towards Toffees boss Frank Lampard and refers to his time as a player and manager of Chelsea. In a statement issued on Friday evening, England's football governing body announced that it would be working with the Crown Prosecution Service and police in order to get to the bottom of the incident.
"We continue to work closely with the Crown Prosecution Service, as well as the UK Football Policing Unit, in relation to the use of this term," the statement read. "Part of our work in this area has been to provide the relevant authorities with impact statements from LGBTQ+ supporters, detailing how chants of this nature affects their experience and feeling of inclusion at football matches, so that a clearer stance and understanding on the chant can be established.
ALSO READ: United urged to act over homophobic chant
"We stand firmly against all forms of discrimination and we are striving to ensure our game is a safe environment for all, which truly embraces diversity and challenges hateful conduct both on and off the pitch."
Official LGBTQ+ United supporters' group Rainbow Devils tweeted on Friday evening that it condemned the chants aimed at Lampard. The tweet said: "We strongly condemn the taunting of Frank Lampard with the illegal and homophobic chant from a section of our fans and call for the club to take action. We call on Manchester United to do everything in their power to identify the culprits and deal with them in the strongest possible manner."
A statement from United following the incident 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 today.
"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."
READ NEXT:
