Jesse Lingard and Marcus Rashford found themselves under heavy criticism from the Jewish community after a photo of the two footballers posing with Wiley.

The picture which was first shared by the Jewish Chronicle, shows the Manchester United players Rashford and Lingard alongside him following a performance at a nightclub in Dubai.

The paper also claimed that video footage showed the rapper performing for crowds at the +44 event held on the 32nd floor of the V Hotel in Dubai.

Wiley has struggled to get bookings in the UK since he made a series of antisemitic tirades online.

The artist, who is referred to as "the Godfather of Grime" went on a social media rant back in 2020 accusing Jews of being "racists" and "cowards", and went on to ask if it was anti-semitic "to say Jewish people have power". He also referred to jews as "snakes" and told "black people" to go to "war" with Jewish people.

This would later prompt the MBE nominee to get blocked on all his main social media platforms - although he's now back on Instagram by the username @Wileyrecordings, ran by his record label.

Although he refused to distance himself from the comments, Wiley later apologised for "generalising" about Jewish people saying they came after a falling out with his now former manager, who is Jewish.

He told Sky News: "My comments should not have been directed to all Jews or Jewish people. I want to apologise for generalising, and I want to apologise for comments that were looked at as anti semitic."

The picture, given context, could easily be misconstrued - Lingard and Rashford

Addressing the matter earlier today, Marcus Rashford and Jesse Lingard said in a statement that they did not condone any form of discrimination.

"This picture has been brought to my attention which I understand now, given context, could easily be misconstrued. I would like to reinforce that I do not and will not condone discriminative language or behaviour of any kind aimed at the Jewish community or any other community", Rashford said.

When asked what the context was by a reporter, he responded: "We just all happened to be in the same place at the same time."

In a separate statement, Lingard posted on Twitter: "I've been made aware of a photo circulating currently, that can easily be misconstrued. I want to make it clear that I do not condone any form of racism whatsoever!"

Wiley also made a brief video statement of his own regarding the situation urging the public to "let people take pictures with whoever they want"

Mixed Reactions

Although the decision to take pictures with Wiley might be controversial, many fans are viewing the two footballer's situation as a case of double standards.

One user compared the photo to that of Piers Morgan and Prince Andrew with Virginia Giuffre saying: "But when people took pictures with Jeffery Epstein and was made public there was no organised outrage. I can't understand why."

While another wrote: "So if Boris Johnson took a picture with Prince Andrew would he be pictured with a disgraced royal?". Leave these nice people alone man"

On the other hand, some other members of the British public were upset by the photo. Marie van der Zyl said: "Footballers who claim to espouse anti-racism should have nothing to do with a man who spent more than 24 hours abusing Jews on social media until he was forcibly stopped from doing so."