Manchester City and Everton joined forces to send a powerful message of support to Ukraine in their conflict with Russia ahead of Saturday evening’s Premier League clash at Goodison Park.
Both teams have Ukrainian players in their squads, with national team captain Oleksandr Zinchenko among the City substitutes and Vitaliy Mykolenko on the Everton bench.
Zinchenko was visibly emotional ahead of kick-off as he and his teammates emerged for the match wearing t-shirts emblazoned with the Ukrainian flag and the slogan “No war”.
Everton’s players, meanwhile, ran out draped in individual Ukrainian flags, while many in the crowd carried banners, flags or colours to show their support.
An air-raid siren is traditionally played at Goodison Park shortly before kick-off to signal the arrival of the two teams but the practice was shelved this weekend as a mark of respect, with The Hollies’ ‘He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother’ instead played over the PA.
Earlier on Saturday, Aston Villa’s Polish international Matty Cash celebrated his goal in the win over Brighton by unveiling a t-shirt with a message of support aimed at international teammate Tomasz Kedziora, who plays in Ukraine for Dynamo Kyiv. The full-back was booked for the gesture.
The world of sport has already made a number of moves to punish Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, with the Champions League final moved from St. Petersburg to Paris and Formula 1 axing the Russian Grand Prix from its schedule.
