(Reuters) – Manchester City forward Khadija Shaw sat out Thursday’s 2-1 League Cup semi-final win at Arsenal for mental health reasons after facing racist and misogynistic abuse following this weekend’s loss in the Women’s Super League (WSL).
The messages Shaw received after Sunday’s 4-3 home loss to Arsenal have been shared with authorities, City said in a statement, adding that they were appalled by the abuse directed at the 28-year-old.
“We are supporting her every way we can,” a City spokesperson told Reuters on Friday.
City manager Gareth Taylor said it was hard for him to say how Shaw felt after the incident.
“We left yesterday and weren’t able to bring her with us,” Taylor told Sky Sports on Thursday.
“It’s really difficult for me to analyse because who knows what goes on in that world and when you’re affected by things like that.
“I’ve not really had time to have a good conversation with her about it but she knows, and needs to know, that the whole club are behind her in this.”
The WSL said they were shocked and saddened by the abuse faced by Shaw and Chelsea captain Millie Bright, who wrote on Instagram that a fan made an expletive-filled comment about her performance in Sunday’s 1-0 win at Aston Villa.
“Players, coaches and officials should be able to do their job without being subjected to abuse, either in person or online, and there is no place for it within women’s football or wider society,” the league said in a statement on Wednesday.
City will play Chelsea in the League Cup final next month.
(Reporting by Lori Ewing, writing by Chiranjit Ojha in Bengaluru; Editing by Toby Davis)
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