Manchester United fans have been warned against directing the Chelsea 'rent boys' chant at the away side ahead of Thursday night's clash.
Erik ten Hag's men are back in Premier League action at Old Trafford, as they take on the struggling Blues. And home fans have been contacted by the club's ticketing department, with a firm reminder sent regarding the aforementioned chant.
Nottingham Forest are currently being investigated after it was heard at their game against Chelsea earlier this year. The same goes for United, from their win over Everton - when Lampard was in charge. And the chant was also heard during Manchester City's victory over the Stamford Bridge side.
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A Liverpool supporter was recently fined and charged with a homophobic hate crime - for singing it at the FA Cup final last May. One Spurs fan was arrested for homophobic chanting earlier this campaign too.
United's email to fans contained the warning: "Supporters are reminded that the Crown Prosecution Service has now classed the 'rent boy' chant as a hat crime, and anyone found to be using it is liable to be prosecuted. The club will also take all necessary action against individuals as outlined in our sanction policy."
Back in February Tracy Brown - chair of Chelsea's LGBT+ supporters' group, Chelsea Pride - was interviewed by The Mirror and gave a clear explanation regarding the homophobic nature of the chant.
"There's lots of people who see it as banter and don't really realise we are talking about a rent boy being someone who is paid to have sex with another man," Brown told Mirror Football. "Obviously when you read, lots of people don't see it that way. They think it's a man who's paid to have sex with anyone. But it isn't.
"And actually, it goes back to many moons ago and Earl's Court being a well-known area for male sex workers and it had a very large gay scene. So, obviously anything related to that is almost an attack on the fact that you're a rent boy. You are attacking the gay community in that sense, because you are almost mocking that."
Brown added: "We've had people, not only from Chelsea, who have heard this consistently over the years which has kept them away from football. Because at the end of the day, there's so many different versions about where this story comes from. But it is homophobic. It's classed as a homophobic hate crime by the CPS and at the end of the day, we have to see it that way.
"Whether people agree with it or not, whether it offends them or not, that's another matter. It's respecting people within our community. I've even had arguments with some of our own fans who are like: 'well it doesn't offend me'. If you're a white, straight man, it's not going to affect you. But that isn't the point. The point is it's seen as being homophobic - it is homophobic and the CPS can charge it as a hate crime."
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