Millwall fans allegedly directed homophobic chants towards Crystal Palace’s Ben Chillwell (Image: Getty)
The Football Association have reportedly opened an investigation into for alleged chants from their fans that emerged during their FA Cup tie with on Saturday. Their probe is said to be related to homophobic chants directed at Palace defender Ben Chilwell, with Millwall fans allegedly heard signing ‘ rent boy, rent boy, oohh ohhh’ at the England international.
The Daily Mail report that the FA ‘will be investigating’ the chants aimed at Chilwell, who completed his first 90 minutes for the south London club since his arrival. The 28-year-old joined on loan from during the winter transfer window in January and the Blues have a long track record of being subjected to the same anti-LGBT chants by opposition fans. It appears Millwall could land themselves in hot water over their fans’ behaviour during the feisty London derby. However, vile chants aimed at Jean-Philippe Mateta are set to go unpunished.
Crystal Palace star Ben Chilwell was allegedly targeted by Millwall fans chanting during the game (Image: Getty)
Chants emerged from the away end early in the first half where Millwall fans appeared to sing ‘let him die’, moments during a collision with Millwall goalkeeper Liam Roberts. The 30-year-old was sent off by referee Michael Oliver just eight minutes into the game as Mateta received treatment on the pitch, having been caught in the face by Roberts’ boot.
Despite those chants being easily audible for spectators in the ground and watching on TV, Millwall will escape punishment for their fans’ behaviour.
According to the Daily Mail, the chant directed at Mateta will not be probed by the FA as it ‘does not breach regulations.’ Medics eventually carried the Frenchman off on a stretchered while he received oxygen, and he was taken to hospital via ambulance.
The vile chants rang out while Jean-Philippe Mateta was lying injured on the ground (Image: Getty)
Before that, Millwall fans in the away end appeared to target Mateta with a sickening chant while he was motionless on the floor, loudly singing: “Let him die, let him die, let him die.”
The chant was strongly condemned by commentator Jonathan Pearce, who said the Lions fans had done nothing to ‘endear themselves’ with their song about the stricken Palace forward and suggested they could be investigated.
“Millwall fans are not endearing themselves with anyone with those chants about Mateta,” Pearce said during the live broadcast. “The football club could be revisited about that.”
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