Premier League rises to occasion with players taking a knee

• Teams kneel to support Black Lives Matter as football returns
• Technology failure denies Sheffield United a goal at Aston Villa

It did not take long to notice that something was different. The players of Aston Villa and Sheffield United, contesting the first English football fixture in 100 days, came out on to the pitch at staggered times and then stood in a physically distant line to listen, as the Premier League anthem echoed across empty stands.

The teams then passed by each other without the traditional shake of hands and when the referee, Michael Oliver, blew his whistle for kick-off something else uncommon happened too: both teams and their coaching staff dropping to the ground to take a knee. This graceful, powerful action had been initiated and coordinated by the players to show support for racial justice. It was an image beamed around the world as a global audience tuned back in to the Premier League.

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