Arsenal's Bukayo Saka experienced a disturbing recurrence of racial abuse after missing a penalty in Sunday's match against West Ham, reminiscent of the Euro 2020 backlash he faced.
Arsenal conceded a two-goal lead at London Stadium, with Saka's missed second-half penalty preceding Jarrod Bowen's equalizer for West Ham.
Arsenal's title chase stumbles
Arsenal, in pursuit of their first Premier League title since 2004, relinquished a two-goal lead for the second consecutive week, resulting in a major setback in the title race as they dropped points against West Ham. They are now just four points ahead of second-placed Manchester City, who have a game in hand. If Pep Guardiola's team wins their next match, the gap between the two contenders will narrow to a single point.
Arsenal and Manchester City are set to face each other on April 26 at Etihad Stadium in what could be a crucial match to determine the title.
Saka's penalty miss evokes memories of Euro 2020
Saka's missed penalty at London Stadium on Sunday led to disturbing racial abuse on social media, reminiscent of the criticism he faced after missing a key penalty for England in the Euro 2020 final against Italy. Saka, Marcus Rashford, and Jadon Sancho were all targeted with racial slurs after failing to convert their penalties in the shootout.
However, Saka bounced back, becoming a vital player for the Three Lions and showcasing impressive performances at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
After Sunday's match, numerous racist tweets and Instagram comments were directed at Saka, but Arsenal fans were quick to denounce the abuse.
One fan, @PascalAbuka, tweeted: "Bukayo Saka didn't have the best day today, go ahead and criticise his performance if you must, but if I see any racism towards him I will not hesitate to report & block you."
Saka takes responsibility for missed penalty
Saka, 21, addressed the missed penalty in a social media post, apologizing to Arsenal fans and promising to make amends. "Regardless of the outcome, I'll always accept my responsibility. Apologies Gunners, I'll do everything I can to make it right," he wrote.
Despite his off day, Saka's performances have been instrumental in Arsenal's successful Premier League season. He has scored 12 goals and provided 10 assists in 31 league games for the club.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta supported Saka, stating he would choose him for a penalty again. "A player who takes penalties misses penalties, I don't know anyone who hasn't. If I had to pick one player to do it, it would be him again. At that moment we missed it and this is football," Arteta said following the 2-2 draw.
Saka, an Arsenal academy graduate, has been named the club's Player of the Season for two consecutive years.
