Six Premier League players stand during anti-racism gesture as Guehi urges campaign rethink
Six players choose not to take the knee
Six players across five Premier League clubs remained standing during the league’s October No Room For Racism pre-match gesture, renewing debate over the impact of taking the knee and how football should challenge discrimination.
The players identified were Tyler Adams and Rayan of Bournemouth, Dominic Calvert-Lewin of Leeds United, Issa Diop of Ipswich Town, Marc Guehi of Manchester City and Ainsley Maitland-Niles of Everton. Guehi clapped rather than kneeling.
Guehi says football should consider what comes next
Speaking before Manchester City’s Champions League match, England international Guehi said he had not taken the knee “for a while now” and explained that clapping better reflected what he wanted to signify.
“I don't think it's necessarily a football issue, I think it's a wider societal issue and football is just that beacon of hope to try and get the message out,” Guehi said. “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.”
Leeds manager Daniel Farke said Calvert-Lewin’s choice was an individual way of showing respect. “Every individual is different and shows respect for this campaign in a different way,” he said, describing the campaign as a good cause and football dressing rooms as an example of people living together.
Gesture remains part of a wider campaign
The Premier League says taking the knee is a decision for players and that it supports the stance they choose, individually or collectively. Captains agreed that players would take the knee during the designated October No Room For Racism fixtures, which coincide with Black History Month in the UK.
Players began taking the knee in 2020, following the death of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter protests. From the 2022-23 season, the gesture was reserved for selected matches after an agreement among club captains. Former Crystal Palace forward Wilfried Zaha was the first Premier League player to stop taking the knee, saying in 2021 that it had become part of the pre-match routine while players continued to receive abuse.
Kick It Out said the gesture still has value in raising awareness, while acknowledging that players may be frustrated by the pace of change. The charity reported that reports of discrimination and racism more than doubled between 2021-22 and 2025-26, reaching record levels in the latter season. Separate examples cited by the BBC included racist online abuse directed at England defender Jess Carter and four Premier League players in February: Hannibal Mejbri, Wesley Fofana, Tolu Arokodare and Romaine Mundle.
The league’s anti-racism work extends beyond the pre-match gesture. It says players have helped develop diversity education resources made available to more than 19,000 primary schools in England and Wales. Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk said representation matters to young people and that he valued representing his community on and off the pitch.