Raheem Sterling latest: Chelsea give fan's name to police after alleged racist abuse

Chelsea have identified the supporter who allegedly racially abused Raheem Sterling and will speak to him as part of their investigations into the incident.

Sterling has already been interviewed by the Metropolitan Police about the incident, which took place during Chelsea’s home game against Manchester City on Saturday.

Images show the England forward on the receiving end of a torrent of abuse from a group of Chelsea fans in the Matthew Harding End as he went to collect the ball.

One appears to call the 24-year-old a ‘f****** black c***’, although there have been suggestions that he used the word ‘Manc’ instead.

Chelsea are continuing to collect and sift through evidence, including audio and video footage, while lip-readers are being employed to determine exactly what was said. However, the club have been able to name the individual in question and his details have been passed on to the police.

A police spokesperson said: “We are aware of a video circulating online in which it is claimed racial abuse was allegedly directed at a player. We continue to review the footage and CCTV to determine whether any offences have been committed. There have been no arrests and our enquiries continue.”

Should the supporter be found guilty, he will be handed a ban from Stamford Bridge.

Meanwhile, Chelsea have also come under ­scrutiny for the fact a group of fans, who were first exposed on a clip shared on social media during the game, were able to stay until the end of the match.

It is not clear what abuse was shouted or who shouted it. Standard Sport understands that Chelsea were made first aware of the incident midway through the second half and it took time for the group to be identified. Stewards approached them when there were just a few minutes of the contest remaining and escorted them out of the ground.

Pictures show black Chelsea fan Nathan Lewis near the men who shouted at Sterling at the time.

Speaking to Good Morning Britain, Lewis said: “Sterling was getting a lot of abuse from all sections but I have to be honest and say I didn’t actually hear any racial abuse. I think it’s disgusting. I’m right there, three feet away from [the fan]. He’s got no regard for me, Sterling either. To see that happen on TV just a few feet away from me is quite scary.”

Troy Townsend, of Kick it Out, is furious about what has allegedly taken place and said: “Hopefully the strongest action will be taken. That group of men, the venom that was coming out of their mouth, we have to challenge that anyway. Let alone the racial abuse. The game has massive amounts of problems to still combat the kinds of anger going on around the side of our pitches.”

Piara Powar, the executive director of Fare (Football Against Racism in Europe) and a trustee of Chelsea’s Foundation, feels the time has come for clubs to be punished for their fans behaviour. He told The Times: “The FA should now explore whether ­making the clubs liable will be one of the ways of getting to the roots of those tendencies.”

A Premier League spokesman added: “The club and the police are rightly investigating this serious ­matter. The Premier League and the clubs are opposed to all forms of ­discrimination in football and if anyone is found to have racially abused a Premier League player they deserve to be punished. We will support ­any action taken by the club or the ­authorities.