Sports

Every Player Took A Knee In Premier League’s First Game Since Season Was Postponed

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Nicholas Elias Contributor
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Every player from both Aston Villa and Sheffield United took a knee in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement as the Premier League resumed play Wednesday.


Players additionally wore Black Lives Matter t-shirts, replacing the names on the back of jerseys, according to the Guardian. The game today was the first since the Premier League suspended its season due to coronavirus. (RELATED: English Soccer Player Shows Solidarity With US Protesters After Scoring, Scores Hat Trick)

“In the first Premier League fixture of Project Restart both clubs hope that the act of ‘taking a knee’ will send a strong message of unity and amplify the many messages of support from Premier League players and the wider football family,” Aston Villa and Sheffield United said in a joint statement.

The game also featured a pre-match minute of silence to honor frontline workers in wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. “We believe that ‘taking a knee’ at the start of the fixture and after the pre-match minute’s silence, allowed both clubs to pay their respects to COVID-19 victims and to show the deep gratitude we all feel for our brave and selfless front-line workers,” read the joint statement.

Aston Villa vs. Sheffield United game ended with a no-score tie as the first of 12 matches happening on Wednesday, according to Yahoo Sports. 92 matches will be played for the rest of the Premier League with no fans in attendance.