You can’t tell how you will react to racist abuse, says Ashley Young

Ashley Young admits he cannot predict how he would react to racist abuse at this summer’s World Cup in Russia.

There are fears about the potential for incidents of racism to overshadow the tournament, given the number of reports of racist abuse in Russian football.

Earlier this month, the Russian Football Union was fined 30,000 Swiss francs (just under £23,000) by world governing body FIFA following discriminatory chants from fans during the friendly against France in St Petersburg on March 27.

It was alleged France players were subjected to monkey chants during the match.

“Whether it’s going to happen, whether you are on the pitch, I’m not sure how you react to it.

“I’m sure we’ll talk about it and we have talked about it, in the squad, in what to do and what not to do.”

Just over a week ago, England boss Gareth Southgate revealed part of his planning for the tournament would include preparing his players for any racist incidents they may face.

Young, who has been capped 33 times and scored seven goals for England, has made Southgate’s 23-man squad having returned to the Three Lions fold last November, when he made his first international appearance in over four years.

As well as the Manchester United winger-turned-full-back, the group also contains Tottenham playmaker Dele Alli, whom Young had a notable on-pitch exchange with at Old Trafford in October.

Manchester Evening News reported at the time that Alli told the 32-year-old to “retire with a zimmer frame”, with Young responding: “Let me know when you win the Prem.”

He added of Alli: “A lot of people say he has to take it out of his game, but I think he’s one of those players that plays on the edge. He winds people up. That’s just him.

“He’s a fantastic talent and, for me, to have him in the squad is unbelievable. Everyone in the squad is a winner and he is definitely one of them.”

Young also stressed his confidence in how England will handle being the targets of winding up by the opposition.

He said: “It’s just one of those where you have to keep your head.

“We want to keep 11 players on the pitch at all times. We have that togetherness and I think there’s enough experience throughout this squad that, if someone is being wound up, to pull them on the pitch and tell them to calm down or have a word with the referee.”

Young added: “A lot of people keep saying I’m an aggressive person, especially when I go across those white lines. I think it’s just the hunger, desire and passion I’ve got for the game.

“I’ve always been a born winner. I’m nearly 33, but there are still things I want to win and there is no bigger one than the World Cup.

“You go into a tournament wanting to win it and that’s exactly what we’re going to be doing.”