Sterling calls kneeling in support of Black Lives Matter a 'massive step'

Manchester City's Raheem Sterling called Wednesday's display of solidarity in support of the Black Lives Matter movement a "massive step."

The Premier League returned from a 100-day hiatus with a pair of fixtures Wednesday. Both Aston Villa and Sheffield United kneeled during the day's earlier match, as did City and Arsenal later in the evening. All four sides also sported kits that read "Black Lives Matter" in place of the players' names, as well as patches on the sleeve.

"It shows we're going in the right direction," Sterling told Sky Sports. "Little by little we're seeing change. It was natural, it was organic. We saw the teams do it in the earlier kickoff and thought it was something we had to do as well."

A call for solidarity stemming from the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man killed on video last month while under police custody in Minnesota, has followed worldwide protests against police brutality and racial inequality.

Sterling's manager, Pep Guardiola, also addressed the issue post-match, saying, "White people should say sorry for the way we have treated black people for 400 years. I am ashamed of what we have done to black people around the world.

"It is not only in the USA where it has happened. The problem is everywhere," the Catalan tactician added following his side's 3-0 victory. "Maybe for our generation, it is too late, but for the following generations, they can understand the only race is ourselves. We are human beings. It doesn't matter the color of our skin."

Colin Kaepernick first kneeled during the U.S. national anthem before NFL games in 2016 as a symbol of protest against police brutality.

Players in Germany, like Dortmund's Jadon Sancho and Monchengladbach's Marcus Thuram, kneeled during Bundesliga matches following Floyd's death.

Sterling has been among the most vocal players in combatting racism. On Tuesday, the 25-year-old joined several footballers from the men's and women's game in a powerful anti-racism video campaign.

"I feel like I speak for most black people, everyone is tired. With the protesting that is going on, you see what is happening in America transferring to the U.K.," Sterling told Sky Sports on Tuesday.

In a joint statement after the clubs' goalless draw, Villa and Sheffield United said they were "proud to stand in solidarity" by kneeling before their match and expressing their support of the Black Lives Matter movement.