'That has to be eradicated': Mike Arteta urges social media firms to help stop online abuse of players

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta on Thursday said that social media companies must take complete responsibility to help stop the online abuse of players as their mental health can be affected if they are targeted. 

Last week, Manchester United's Marcus Rashford, Axel Tuanzebe and Anthony Martial, West Brom's Romaine Sawyers and Chelsea's James Reece were subject to online racism. 

"There are all types of different abuses and it has to be eradicated completely," Arteta told reporters. "I think social media has a big responsibility. Because then you talk about the mental health of players... and how exposed they are.

"I'm all open for people to have opinions, but not just to be insulting people, abusing people and using a screen behind a phone to say whatever you want about a person you don't know.

"That has to be eradicated because it's causing a lot of damage in football, a lot of damage to public people."

Last month, Liverpool skipper Jordan Henderson and Karen Carney held talks with government ministers regarding online abuse and discrimination.