Racist comment towards Carlton Morris reported to police after Luton beat Sheffield United

The striker complained of a comment made from the home crowd late in the second half.

Carlton Morris alleged he was targeted by a racist comment (Mike Egerton/PA) (PA Wire)

Luton boss Rob Edwards said South Yorkshire Police are investigating an alleged racist comment towards Carlton Morris in his side’s Boxing Day win at Sheffield United.

The striker complained of a comment made from the home crowd late in the second half, which left him “pretty angry”, and the police have spoken to him.

It soured what was a great day for Morris as he came off the bench to create two own goals in four minutes which earned the Hatters a vital 3-2 victory in the crunch basement Premier League battle at Bramall Lane.

Edwards said: “There was an alleged racist comment, the police are dealing with that, they have spoken to Carlton and got his take on it, so it is with them now; I have no more comment on it.

“He is alright – he was, at the time, pretty angry but he seems fine now.”

Sheffield United are assisting police and reiterated the club’s “zero-tolerance approach” to racism.

“Once the club had been aware of the alleged incident, an investigation was instigated, and we are now in dialogue with South Yorkshire Police and Luton Town FC, and we thank both for their assistance,” read a club statement.

“The club would like to again reiterate we take a zero-tolerance approach to racism and stands firmly against all forms of discrimination.

“There is no place for this behaviour in football, or society as a whole.”

United boss Chris Wilder added: “There was a comment that was made and the referee came over to speak to me and Rob from a racial point of view, which is obviously not great if found to be the case.”

Morris was seen talking to Sam Allison – who became the first black referee to officiate a Premier League match in 15 years – and the fourth official on the sidelines and later the Luton striker said he had reported the incident straightaway.

He told Amazon Prime: “The Premier League have been great at telling us protocols and explaining that to us. I heard something from the crowd in the front row unfortunately and I just knew it’s best to get that reported straight away and let them deal with it from there.”

The Blades were on course for an important victory as second-half goals from Oli McBurnie and Anel Ahmedhodzic overturned Alfie Doughty’s first-half opener for the Hatters.

But substitute Morris was the orchestrator as Jack Robinson and Anis Slimane put through their own net to give Luton back-to-back Premier League wins for the first time.

They will now believe survival is a real possibility going into the second half of the campaign.

Edwards, who celebrated his birthday on Christmas Day, said: “It brings us closer to where we want to be. Back-to-back and within four days we have two thirds of the points we already had, it’s big for us.

“We all know it was a big game, they all are, it was important and it was very, very special to do it in the end, one that we will remember for a long time.

“We have won these two games in a row, the performances are going the right way, we have been consistent for a long time and we are getting rewards for our performances.”

Wilder claimed his side “chucked it away” as their chances of beating the drop continue to get slimmer, having amassed just nine points at the halfway stage.

He said: “We chucked it away. Don’t take this as a dig against our opponents but there will be a lot of talk about character and getting themselves back into the game with a never-say-die attitude and all that, it’s nothing to do with that.

“It’s to do with our attitude to defending. It cost us on Friday night (at Aston Villa) and it has cost us tonight.

“It’s an attitude to defending and I’d be saying the same thing if I was a manager at any other club in the pyramid.

“They haven’t had to do anything to get back in the game, we have basically handed them the game. We should be talking about a home win, not them getting two to take the points.

“I don’t think it was earned by them, it was given by us.”