Wednesday's match between Aston Villa and Sheffield United marked the Premier League's return after a three-month hiatus due to the COVID-19 crisis.
Players for Aston Villa and Sheffield United kneeled on the pitch in the opening seconds of their Premier League match on Wednesday.
The contest marked the first Premier League match since March 9 due to the COVID-19 crisis. Players throughout the Premier League will also sport jerseys with "Black Lives Matter," written on the back in place of their names throughout the first round of games following the coronavirus suspension.
Wednesday's decision to kneel came out of solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement following the death of George Floyd, who was killed in Minneapolis police custody on May 25. Floyd was stopped by officer Derek Chauvin, who placed his knee on Floyd's neck for over eight minutes. Floyd can be heard on video saying "I can't breathe," multiple times before his death.
Chauvin has been fired and charged with second-degree murder. Three other officers have been charged with aiding and abetting murder for their role in Floyd's death.
"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," Aston Villa said in a statement. "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."
No fans will be permitted at Premier League matches in 2020. Sheffield United currently sits No. 7 in the Premier League with 43 points, while Aston Villa is ahead of only Norwich City at No. 19 in the standings.