Gupta is a well known Arsenal fan who was involved in the club’s kit launch in 2017. 

A regular at the Emirate Stadium, the actress received intense backlash on social media after she shared a screenshot of a chat she had with a friend where she called Iwobi ‘gorilla face’. 

“Solves our winger issues. I can't see that gorilla faced Iwobi running down the flank again. He's so bad ya,” Gupta said in the Whatsapp conversation which was had during Arsenal's 1-3 loss to Manchester United in a FA Cup tie on Friday, January 25.

“It's like evolution stopped for him. Didn't change from Neanderthal to man,” she added. 

She quickly deleted the screenshot from her Instagram but fans had already gotten it before it disappeared. 

“Guys I'm sorry you thought it was racist. Was bad on my part, being a sports lover. Wallah never meant it. Sorry guys forgive the stupidity,” she later said on Twitter after the backlash. 

“Well it was my fault. So gotta own up to my s***... sorry. It was us discussing our frustration during the game. Sorry as I didn't realise it was directed towards racism.

“Laughed over spur of the moment, which was the games result guys. Been victim of racism myself before. But this is not something I'm proud of. It was a fault, sorry guys.” 

Gupta was also once rumoured to be dating Iwobi’s teammate Hector Bellerin and both have been on several dates in the past. 

An Arsenal spokesperson, however, said she is not an official club ambassador and also condemned the racist language.