Premier League chief executive Richard Masters warned on Saturday that anyone found guilty of racist abuse could face stadium bans and potential legal action.

His remarks came a day after Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo was subjected to racist abuse during his team’s 4-2 defeat to Liverpool at Anfield.

“No Premier League player should ever have to endure such abuse, whether at work or online. It is vital that we continue to speak out against it,” Masters told BBC Sport.

He added, “This is a societal issue that seeps into football, and it has no place in stadiums or online.

“It compels people like me, and others responsible for running the game, to think carefully about what further steps we can take to prevent such incidents in the future.”

“If you are found to be using discriminatory language inside a football ground you will be ejected, second you will be banned and third you may face criminal charges.”

Friday’s game was briefly halted in the 29th minute to address the incident, with referee Anthony Taylor summoning both managers to the touchline for a briefing.

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk and Bournemouth counterpart Adam Smith were then called over to the benches for further instructions before play resumed four minutes later.

Ghana international Semenyo went on to score twice after play resumed.

Merseyside Police confirmed that the 47-year-old man from Liverpool who was ejected after the incident had been arrested on suspicion of a racially aggravated public order offence and taken into custody to be interviewed.

Semenyo thanked his teammates, Liverpool, match officials and the “entire football family” for their support in a statement on Saturday.

“Last night at Anfield will stay with me forever  not because of one person’s words, but because of how the entire football family stood together,” Semenyo wrote on Instagram.

The incident at Anfield followed reports of Tottenham Hotspur’s French forward Mathys Tel being subjected to racist abuse on social media after missing a penalty in his side’s UEFA Super Cup defeat by Paris St Germain on Wednesday.