Police investigating alleged racist comment aimed at Luton's Carlton Morris

South Yorkshire Police are investigating an alleged racial slur aimed at Carlton Morris during Luton Town’s Premier League win at Sheffield United.

The visiting substitute reported the comment to referee Sam Allison who, in turn, spoke to rival managers Chris Wilder and Rob Edwards. Both confirmed the subject of their conversation with Allison – the first black referee to oversee a Premier League game since 2008 – following the final whistle.

“It was an alleged racial comment,” Edwards said. “The police are dealing with it now. It’s in their hands. The police have spoken to Carlton and got his take on things. Carlton, at the time, was very angry as you’d expect. But he’s OK.

“They [the police] have gone away and they’re dealing with it now. That’s what happened and that’s what the talk was about.”

Luton were trailing 2-1 and seemingly destined for defeat when Morris, previously of United’s neighbours Barnsley and Rotherham, produced two late crosses from which, first, Jack Robinson and, then, Anis Ben Slimane turned the ball into their own net. The dramatic turnaround silenced what had been a raucous home crowd and left Wilder, who condemned the incident involving Morris and a spectator, distraught.

“There was a comment that was made and the ref came over to speak to me and Rob, to tell us what had happened and what Carlton had told him,” Wilder said, whose team remain at the foot of the table.

“It [the comment] was of a racial point of view, which, obviously, isn’t great, if that’s the case. It’s not something that anyone wants to hear about.”

Sheffield United undone by two own goals as Luton snatch victory

By James Shield

Luton Town’s raucous celebrations following a breathless, exhausting and sometimes chaotic game confirmed the significance of their victory over relegation rivals Sheffield United.

The contrast in emotions between the two benches could not have been starker as, after seeing two late own goals move the visitors to within a point of safety and six clear of their opponents who remain bottom, the usually phlegmatic Rob Edwards joined his players on the pitch to soak up the adulation of the travelling support.

Defeated manager Chris Wilder instead quickly retreated down the tunnel before acknowledging, despite insisting United remain in the fight, the result is likely to colour the remainder of the campaign.

“I asked the players to be aggressive and we were,” a jubilant Edwards said. “I really liked us in the first half and then showed excellent character to come back like we did, because United always carry a threat.”

Given their respective positions in the table, it was perhaps no surprise to see two defensive errors settle a contest officiated by Sam Allison - the first black referee to oversee a Premier League fixture since 2008. But before United’s Jack Robinson and Anis Ben Slimane turned the ball into their own net, there were moments of genuine quality too.

The overwhelming majority came from Luton, whose decision to hand Andros Townsend a roving forward role turned out to be a masterstroke while Carlton Morris, who delivered both of the centres which forced those United mistakes, also made a telling impact after being introduced.

Trailing to Alfie Doughty’s strike, United thought they had staged a dramatic comeback with Oli McBurnie and Anel Ahmedhodzic responding to Alfie Doughty’s opener. But, with Wilder later lamenting their on-field decision-making, deflections off Robinson and Slimane condemned United to what he acknowledged was a “real backwards step.”

“We chucked it away,” he said. “Don’t take this as a dig against our opponents, it was our attitude towards defending that cost us.”

As well as trying to guide his team out of the bottom three Wilder has been fighting fires off the pitch too since returning to take charge earlier this month. Having made no secret of his annoyance after discovering a mole behind the scenes has been leaking United’s selections, the 56-year-old made four changes to the starting XI which had drawn with Aston Villa before Christmas with only one of those being enforced; defender Ahmedhodzic returning for the suspended Jayden Bogle. Edwards, whose team entered the game on the back of a shock win over Newcastle, would almost certainly have predicted the other switches as McBurnie, Gustavo Hamer and James McAtee were handed recalls.

Bogle’s absence ultimately proved more costly than Wilder might have imagined with Auston Trusty, deputising at wing-back, constantly being dragged out of position by Townsend’s presence which in turn created the space for Doughty to wreak havoc.

“I really liked us, first-half,” Edwards said. “Then we showed character and belief.”

Despite the importance of the fixture, neither United nor Luton adopted a safety first approach. The visitors posed a threat from set-pieces during the opening exchanges but also came under pressure at the other end of the pitch with Vini Souza and Cameron Archer both seeing shots blocked.

Having witnessed defensive frailties undermine the work of his predecessor Paul Heckingbottom, Wilder’s exasperation was almost palpable when two errors at the back handed Luton the lead. Hamer could have done more to prevent Doughty entering the box before the midfielder threaded the ball neatly through Wes Foderingham’s legs and into the back of the net.

“It was poor to give away,” Wilder said. “We were too passive and we didn’t have the control we wanted.”

Although they changed formation after the interval, United had McAtee’s skill and perseverance to thank for their equaliser with the midfielder regaining his feet after being felled in the area before handing possession to McBurnie who duly fired home. Wilder was still composing himself into the technical area when Ahmedhodzic claimed United’s second following an almighty goalmouth scramble in front of Thomas Kaminski.

Morris’ introduction, combined with some indecisive defending, changed the course of the fixture though. First, the striker saw a cross ricochet off Robinson before another was deflected past Foderingham by Slimane.

“There’s a belief and togetherness,” Edwards said. “That showed and that’s what can help drive us forward.”