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PL 'in talks for Black Lives Matter to replace players' names on shirts'

  /  autty

Premier League clubs are in talks to replace all players' names on their shirts in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Top-flight sides are discussing the possibility of displaying a Black Lives Matter badge on their kit, which will be placed next to one honouring the NHS, as well as carrying the slogan across each players back.

As reported by The Athletic's David Ornstein, player names will be replaced for the first Premier League game for each club only, if the proposal gets the go ahead.

The Premier League are yet to confirm the decision, but the subject is believed to have been broached on Thursday as clubs unanimously approved return to play protocols and a matchday operations plan.

Protocols for the third stage of Project Restart - following socially-distanced training and full contact training - will come into play when fixtures resume again from next week.

The season is due to kick off next Wednesday, with Aston Villa hosting Sheffield United and Arsenal travelling north to take on reigning champions Manchester City.

The protocols cover every aspect of on-pitch conduct and operations within stadia, with a strictly limited number of personnel permitted inside and outside the venue.

As it stands the only game which could be played at a neutral venue in the first three full rounds of fixtures is City's match against Liverpool on July 2.

Manchester City Council's safety advisory group must meet to make a decision regarding that fixture.

On Wednesday, Liverpool City Council's Ground Safety Advisory Group gave the go-ahead for Goodison Park and Anfield to stage matches in the remainder of the 2019-20 season, which means Goodison will host the Merseyside derby on Sunday, June 21.

All of the remaining 92 matches will be televised, with 33 of those games available free to air.

The Black Lives Matter movement has gained huge support in recent weeks following the controversial death of African American George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis.