Your fantastic backing helps create a brilliant atmosphere at the Bridge, making these fixtures a highlight of the season and driving the players in their bid to earn vital points in the race for Champions League qualification. As ever at these passionate matches, we would like to remind fans of their responsibilities in keeping support positive.

A small minority of Chelsea supporters have in the past tarnished this derby by using antisemitic chanting, noises and gestures, including the Y-word, offering the justification of opposition fans using those terms as a form of identity.

We have repeatedly made our stance on this clear – there is no place for such behaviour at Chelsea Football Club, regardless of its use by fans of other clubs or its recent inclusion in the Oxford English Dictionary. Indeed, the dictionary’s own definition describes the Y-word as “derogatory and offensive”.

Chelsea officially adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance working definition of antisemitism earlier this season, becoming the first sports team in the world to do so by signing a document in the presence of head coach Frank Lampard and Chairman Bruce Buck.

Discriminatory actions or language have no place anywhere in football or society and everybody at Chelsea is proud to be part of a diverse club. Our players, staff, fans and visitors come from a wide range of backgrounds, including the Jewish community, and we want to ensure everyone feels safe, valued and included.

We have long been committed to opposing discrimination of all kinds through our Building Bridges initiative and in January 2018 launched our Say No To Antisemitism campaign. It is supported by the club’s owner Roman Abramovich and aims to raise awareness and educate our players, staff, fans and the wider community about antisemitism and its impact.

Our support for the campaign has never been more visible at Stamford Bridge, after Chelsea players Cesar Azpilicueta, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Anita Asante, as well as Chairman Bruce Buck, helped unveil a commemorative mural on the West Stand of Jewish footballers and British POWs sent to Nazi camps, which was painted by street artist Solomon Souza.

We urge everybody to show their support in the right way and do their bit to help the Blues claim an important and memorable victory as we aim to pick up vital Premier League points.

Supporters can report any discriminatory or antisocial behaviour either to a steward, or text anonymously to 07894 937 793. Please note the stand, row and seat number of the person, as well as their appearance, height and build. After the game, you can call 02073 863 355 or email [email protected]. You can also report it to Kick It Out via their smartphone app.

If evidence shows our supporters have engaged in any form of discriminatory behaviour, we will take the strongest possible action, which includes supporting criminal prosecution and issuing banning orders.