Premier League players take a knee before first game back (video)

Players from Aston Villa, Sheffield United, Manchester City and Arsenal took a knee in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement before Wednesday’s Premier League matches.

The Premier League kicked off once again on Wednesday, returning after 100 days away due to the coronavirus pandemic, and when it did so it came with a never-before-seen gesture. Aston Villa and Sheffield United began the match by kneeling, a gesture signifying solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement.

Every player on the field, as well as the referee took a knee once the whistle was blown. After a few seconds, the players stood and kicked off the first match of the Premier League’s restart.

https://twitter.com/footballdaily/status/1273300958227959811

“Aston Villa and Sheffield United were proud to stand in solidarity with the actions of the players and coaching staff of both football clubs during the first ten seconds of tonight’s Premier League fixture, expressing our collective support for the Black Lives Matter movement,” a Villa club statement said.

Later, Manchester City and Arsenal also made a similar display before the second match of the day.

The gesture comes along with a number of other actions to amplify social causes as the sport’s richest league returns.

For the first 12 matches of the restart (Wednesday’s games plus the first full weekend) player names on team shirts will be replaced with “Black Lives Matter” across the back.

There is also a “Black Lives Matter” sleeve patch on all the jerseys, which will continue to be worn beyond just this weekend. Players are also wearing an NHS heart patch to honor the UK’s National Health Service for their work in the COVID-19 fight.

https://twitter.com/FanSidedSoccer/status/1273294468226125825?s=20

It remains to be seen whether the other 16 teams will follow suit this weekend during the league’s first full weekend back.