This weekend, Premier League clubs participated in the first pre-match gesture of the season, taking the knee as part of October's No Room for Racism campaign. However, six players from five clubs opted to remain standing during this demonstration:

• Tyler Adams (Bournemouth)
• Rayan (Bournemouth)
• Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Leeds)
• Issa Diop (Ipswich)
• Marc Guehi (Manchester City)
• Ainsley Maitland-Niles (Everton)

Before Manchester City's Champions League match on Tuesday, Guehi expressed his views on the gesture's impact, stating, "I haven't been taking the knee for a while now. I always clap, just because of what that actually signifies." He emphasized that the issue extends beyond football, indicating that the sport serves as a beacon of hope to communicate important messages.

Guehi acknowledged the campaign's significance, saying, "The message is still there, which is great. More can always be done. I think we should see how we can move the campaign along."

The Premier League maintains that taking the knee is a player-led decision, supportive of both collective and individual choices. The gesture began in 2020 following the death of George Floyd, and this season, captains agreed to observe it during specific fixtures coinciding with Black History Month in the UK.

While the other players who chose not to kneel have not publicly commented, Leeds manager Daniel Farke clarified Calvert-Lewin's stance, noting that he prefers to show respect by standing. Farke remarked, "Every individual is different and shows respect for this campaign in a different way."

Former Crystal Palace forward Wilfried Zaha previously stated that kneeling had become routine, highlighting that regardless of the gesture, some players still face abuse, marking a critical perspective on the ongoing fight against racism in sports.