Virgil van Dijk and other Premier League players show solidarity after George Floyd death


  • English
  • Arabic

Liverpool and Manchester United players showed their solidarity for the Black Lives Matter movement following the death of George Floyd in the United States.

Liverpool players including Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold shared a photograph on social media of the entire Reds squad taking a knee around the centre circle at Anfield along with the words "Unity is strength".

Earlier, Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford said he feared society was "more divided than ever" in the violent aftermath of Floyd's death in Minneapolis.

Floyd died last Monday after a white police officer held his knee on the handcuffed black man's neck for several minutes.

The shocking incident has sparked protests and riots in cities across the world and sparked strong reaction from the sporting world.

"At a time I've been asking people to come together, work together and be united, we appear to me more divided than ever," said Rashford. "People are hurting and people need answers.

"Black lives matter. Black culture matters. Black communities matter. We matter."

Rashford, 22, has followed his England teammate Jadon Sancho in addressing the issue after the Borussia Dortmund winger said "we shouldn't fear speaking out for what's right".

Sancho displayed a T-shirt with "Justice for George Floyd" written on it after scoring the first of his three goals in Dortmund's 6-1 win over Paderborn on Sunday.

  • Dortmund's English midfielder Jadon Sancho shows a 'Justice for George Floyd' shirt as he celebrates after scoring his team's second goal during at Paderborn. AFP
    Dortmund's English midfielder Jadon Sancho shows a 'Justice for George Floyd' shirt as he celebrates after scoring his team's second goal during at Paderborn. AFP
  • Sancho scores Dortmund's second goal. AP
    Sancho scores Dortmund's second goal. AP
  • Jadon Sancho celebrates scoring their third goal with teammates. Reuters
    Jadon Sancho celebrates scoring their third goal with teammates. Reuters
  • Sancho celebrates the third with his teammates. Getty
    Sancho celebrates the third with his teammates. Getty
  • Jadon Sancho scores their sixth goal at Paderborn. Reuters
    Jadon Sancho scores their sixth goal at Paderborn. Reuters
  • Sancho runs with the ball during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Paderborn and Borussia Dortmund . EPA
    Sancho runs with the ball during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Paderborn and Borussia Dortmund . EPA
  • Jadon Sancho of Dortmund celebrates after scoring his teams second goal with a 'Justice for George Floyd' shirt, which earned him a booking. EPA
    Jadon Sancho of Dortmund celebrates after scoring his teams second goal with a 'Justice for George Floyd' shirt, which earned him a booking. EPA