Both Liverpool and Everton have condemned fans for racist abuse against midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure during Wednesday's Merseyside derby.
"Such abuse is reprehensible and will not, and should not, be tolerated. Together, the two clubs will work with Merseyside Police, who are conducting an investigation with the aim of identifying the individuals responsible,'' the two clubs said in a joint statement on Thursday.
''We also encourage people who witness or experience online abuse to report and highlight it to the social media platforms on which it appears," they added.
"We must all, including the social media companies, take a zero-tolerance stance. Platforms need to take accountability and action to ban such abusers. Racism and hate has no place online, in our stadiums or in our communities," the statement said.
Racism in football
Everton midfielder Doucoure found himself at the centre of controversy after celebrating Everton's dramatic 98th-minute derby equaliser in front of traveling Liverpool fans.
The celebration led to a heated post-match altercation with Curtis Jones.
The incident escalated into a mass brawl as teammates from both sides joined the fray. Referee Michael Oliver responded by issuing straight red cards to both Doucoure and Jones.
Following the game, however, Doucoure was subjected to vile racist abuse, highlighting the ongoing issue of discrimination in football.
Doucoure, whose family is originally from Mali, was born in France in 1993.
Meanwhile, two teams shared points after a 2-2 draw on Wednesday night.
