A WORLD CUP OF RACISM AND FEAR

FIFA are now investigating claims of racist chants aimed at France players Paul Pogba (right) and Ousmane Dembele during this week’s friendly with Russia in St Petersburg. The governing body say they are gathering reports in a bid to find out what happened. But we know what happened. They gave the World Cup to a country that has consistently been soft on racism in sports grounds, therefore the racists within feel vindicated and emboldened by that decision. This is your festival of racism, hostility and fear, guys. Now own it. WIN at Everton tomorrow evening and Manchester City could have the league wrapped up by April 7. Better to focus on the Champions League, runs the argument. Yet Pep Guardiola made similarly short work of the Bundesliga each year with Bayern Munich and went out to Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid at the Champions League semi-final stage each year looking suspiciously undercooked. Were City to get past Liverpool, it might not be the best thing to have the edge taken off their season. Not that they can do much about it. CAN anyone explain where West Bromwich Albion owner Guochuan Lai is in the current turmoil? Returning chief executive Mark Jenkins says the finances are in a shocking state and it is believed the previous CEO Martin Goodman and chairman John Williams were sacked for sanctioning the dismissal of Tony Pulis.

So what did Lai make of that? Did they go behind his back? Was he not informed? And why, when he heard of the decision, could he not rectify it, if he was outraged? As for the fiscal report, does he pay no attention to the books, does he not receive regular reports? Some bosses are more hands-on than others. This one appears to have been living in a cave.