Ainsley Maitland-Niles says he was racially abused

Arsenal’s Ainsley Maitland-Niles says he was racially abused whilst a youth player at the club.

The midfielder said he was playing at an away game in Germany at the age of 12 when he was the victim of racial abuse, and that "nothing was done".

His comments come as police investigate allegations Manchester City forward Raheem Sterling was racially abused at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

Maitland-Niles, 21, said: "It hurts to talk about it but it is so important to get rid of it from the game. I really do credit Raheem for coming out and standing up for himself and other players and speaking about it.

"Raheem is a brave lad for doing it and I just hope that more people put their ear towards him and have some sympathy for him, because it's not the first time it's happened and we just want it to be the last."

The England Under-21 international his own experience had been "similar" to Sterling’s and happened as he went to pick up a ball for a throw in: "What can I do? I just got on with the game, as he did. To me, responding to it is scoring a goal to put their team down. I only thought they were doing it because I was having a good game.

"I guess that's one way of them sort of trying to knock me off my game and make me feel uncomfortable about myself."

He added: "At the time, I just spoke to my dad about it and he did sort of give me the heads up and showed me a few things about racism before my time, when I was playing football, just as there still is in the game now.

"I think we just really need to put our heads to it and get it cut out as soon as possible."