AS RACISM in football continues to blight the game, Arsenal legend Ian Wright has said that small progress is being made and that “when white people get involved things happen.’’

A raft of high profile black footballers have been subjected to online abuse in the last seven days and Wright says that attempts to oust the sport of the trolls need to continue and with much more vigour.

Manchester United trio Marcus Rashford, Axel Tuanzebe and Anthony Martial were all victims of online abuse while police have arrested a 49-year-old over online abuse of West Brom player Romaine Sawyers.

Chelsea have called on social media platforms to do more to tackle racism online after defender Reece James was subject to abuse on January 29. The 21-year-old said “something needs to change” after he posted a screenshot of abusive messages he received via Instagram.

Speaking during a Premier League highlights show, Arsenal hero Wright said: “There is change. It’s very small, but the what the Premier League have done, and I’ve got to say, with the cases we’ve had, the Premier League have been amazing in helping track people down. Things are being done.’’

Wright who played for Arsenal 227 times while scoring 128 goals between 1991-98, added: “The problem we have, with the weight of everything that’s behind it, and the amount of goodwill from people, white people, this is what makes it move.

“When white people get involved things happen. And what you’ve got to understand, is yes, it’s taken a man to lose his life, in George Floyd, to go viral for us to get together and really try and change things.

“But you cannot have these badges, you cannot not take the knee, because we cannot let one person, who’s able to reach Marcus Rashford, one of the greatest players, and one of the highest profile players in the world at the moment, a platform that’s given you that power to be able to then abuse them, and you cannot reach that person and punish them.

“So things are happening, but it’s not happening quick enough from the powers that be. They can do more in this time. They can do a lot more.’’