Premier League restart: Clubs to mourn COVID-19 victims, mark Black Lives Matter support

Premier League clubs will mourn the loss of lives due to the coronavirus pandemic, while also lending their support to the Black Lives Matter movement when the competition resumes. While thousands have succumbed to coronavirus in the UK alone, the country has also erupted in protest in recent weeks against the killing of George Floyd by a police officer in the USA.

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Premier League restart: Clubs to lend support to coronavirus victims, Black Lives Matter movement

According to a report by Daily Mail, clubs will hold discussions this week on how to pay tribute to those who lost their lives to coronavirus ahead of the Premier League restart. The clubs will also discuss the possibility of taking a knee before the Premier League restart in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. The league is set to resume from June 17 after a three-month suspension due to the coronavirus pandemic in the UK. 

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Premier League restart: Players to wear badges for NHS workers 

Some of the suggestions that could come up in the meeting include observing a minute's silence before kickoff, while players could also be seen wearing heart-shaped badges on their shirts as a mark of honour to the NHS workers, who have been on the frontlines in the fight against the pandemic. Some teams might also take a knee, something that was seen in the Bundesliga, to protest against the killing of Floyd, as well as to stand in solidarity with those involved in the Black Lives Matter movement. 

Liverpool players took a knee during one of the training sessions to support the Black Lives Matter movement last week. On the other hand, Borussia Dortmund star Jadon Sancho was one of the first footballers to speak against the killing of George Floyd, after the Dortmund star scored his first professional hat-trick against Paderborn in the Bundesliga. 

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Premier League restart: Premier League schedule 

Ahead of the Premier League restart on June 17, here is the Premier League schedule and fixtures for the first week of the resumption of top-flight football in England:

Aston Villa vs Sheffield United - June 17, 10.30 pm IST

Man City vs Arsenal - June 18, 12.45 am IST

Norwich City vs Southampton - June 19, 10.30 pm IST

Spurs vs Man Utd - June 20, 12.30 am IST

Watford vs Leicester City - June 20, 5 pm IST

Brighton and Hove Albion vs Arsenal -June 20, 7.30 pm IST

West Ham United vs Wolverhampton Wanderers - June 20, 10 pm IST

Bournemouth vs Crystal Palace - June 21, 12.15 am IST

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Image courtesy: Curtis Jones Twitter Handle