Adam Smith praised for post-match interview when asked about alleged racist abuse of Antoine Semenyo

Bournemouth defender Adam Smith has given a strongly-worded and passionate interview after Antoine Semenyo reported allegations of racist abuse from a fan during his side's 4-2 defeat to Liverpool.

The Premier League curtain-raiser was briefly stopped during the first half after Semenyo reported the abuse to referee Anthony Taylor.

Merseyside Police were called on to the pitch at Anfield before play subsequently restarted.

Semenyo was consoled by Bournemouth team-mates and Liverpool defender Milos Kerkez, who played alongside the Ghanaian at the Cherries last season.

Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola spoke to on-site security at Anfield after the incident.

Semenyo went on to score two goals in the second half to equalise the game at 2-2.

The Bournemouth forward has since posted a screenshot of racist abuse he received on Instagram after the game.

Speaking after the match, captain Smith told Sky Sports of his reaction to the abuse reported by his team-mate inside the stadium and detailed private talks that were held in the dressing room.

"It's totally unacceptable, to be honest," he said. "I'm shocked, to be honest, that it's happened in this day and age. It shouldn't be happening.

"I don't know how Ant played on, to be honest, and came up with those goals. It's totally unacceptable, and I just feel sorry for Ant. Something needs to be done. Taking the knee, doing this, it's having no effect.

"I wanted him to react, because that's what I would have done. I'd have gone straight over there. But this shows what type of man he is, to not react even in the moment it happened, then he reported it to the ref and got those two goals, it shows you the type of guy he is and the character he has.

"I'm more angry, to be honest. Shocked. I said to the referee, I want him [the fan] removed immediately, but the ref said we had to go through the process and the police would sort it.

"To be fair, the Liverpool players were very supportive as well to Antoine. I think it was handled in the right way. But yeah, so angry.

"I've just been speaking to some of the lads in there, and I don't know what else we can do. We've been doing it [taking the knee] for a long time now, and I just don't know what to say anymore.

"We just feel for Ant and that he's had to take that tonight. It's just shocking."

Reacting to Smith's interview, one fan on Twitter wrote: "Incredible interview this from Adam Smith."

A second said: "Adam Smith really good on the Semenyo incident. Spoke really well."

A third agreed: "Adam Smith spoke really well under difficult circumstances there. Fair play to him."

And a fourth wrote: "Really powerful interview from Adam Smith."

Liverpool release statement on alleged Semenyo racist abuse

After full-time at Anfield, Liverpool released a statement regarding the incident on their social media channels.

The statement reads: "Liverpool Football Club is aware of an allegation of racist abuse made during our Premier League game against AFC Bournemouth.

"We condemn racism and discrimination in all forms, it has no place in society or football.

"The club is unable to comment further as tonight's alleged incident is the subject of an ongoing police investigation, which we will support fully."

The alleged incident occurred just under two days after Tottenham forward Mathys Tel received racist abuse online after he missed a penalty in his side's UEFA Super Cup shootout defeat to PSG.

Spurs boss Thomas Frank commented on Friday: "It's terrible, what happened to Mathys. We're doing all we can to support him. He's a strong person, and hopefully with the support of family and friends, and us, he'll get through it.

"There's no real Tottenham supporter that would do that [the racist abuse]. The real Tottenham supporters that you'll see tomorrow, at the stadium, they'll back him. In tough times, we step up together, and I expect the fans to give him a really, really, really big cheer tomorrow."