The Premier League has continued to show solidarity with Ukraine following Russia's invasion of the country; all 20 clubs are taking part in gestures when they take to the field for this weekend's games, with EFL and WSL following suit
Saturday 5 March 2022 16:25, UK
Leicester City and Leeds United kicked off the Premier League's planned show of support for Ukraine following Russia's invasion of the country.
In Saturday's lunchtime kick-off at the King Power Stadium, which Leicester won 1-0, pro-Ukraine and anti-war messages were on display with further in-stadium activity promoting peace.
Following the invasion of Ukraine, players draping the country's flag around them as they walked out was just one of the gestures shown in last weekend's fixtures - and similar marks of solidarity featured before the match in Leicester.
Both sets of players observed a moment's silence for Ukraine, while a Ukrainian flag was also held by the teams.
Leicester supporters displayed a banner reading 'We Stand with Ukraine' alongside a picture of the Ukrainian flag before their game against Leeds.
All 20 Premier League captains will wear special armbands in Ukrainian colours this weekend, including Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel and Leeds defender Luke Ayling.
Leicester teamed up with British and Ukrainian Red Cross to raise funds and supplies to send to the besieged capital Kyiv - where essentials are running out for locals sheltering underground.
The English top-flight continued to rally behind Ukraine with fans encouraged to join players, managers, match officials and club staff in a moment of reflection and solidarity before kick-off at each game.
The screens at stadiums will display 'Football Stands Together' against the backdrop of the blue and yellow colours of the Ukrainian flag.
In the WSL, Brighton wore their blue and yellow third kit against Aston Villa as the two teams displayed a Ukraine flag before kick-off.
It was a similar scene at Craven Cottage ahead of Fulham's Championship clash with Blackburn Rovers. It is a weekend in which the footballing community is coming together as one to show support.
Ahead of kick-off around the country, teams will stand on the centre-circle to think about all of those affected by the shocking events in Ukraine.
Southampton went a step further in showing their support for Ukraine ahead of Saturday's Premier League fixture away at Aston Villa.
The club teamed up with main club partner Sportsbet.io, which has an office in Kyiv, to provide free scarves for the 3,000 travelling fans as a sign of solidarity.
Supporters travelling to the game will find the scarves on their seats ahead of kick-off - the scarves will be in Southampton's away colours of yellow and blue to represent the colours of the Ukrainian flag.
Molineux and Carrow Road both expressed similar sentiment with splashes of blue and yellow ahead of Wolves vs Crystal Palace and Norwich vs Brentford respectively.
Burnley welcomed Chelsea to Turf Moor on Saturday and chairman Alan Pace had some words on the Ukraine crisis in his programme notes.
"The events happening in the world today do throw football into context," Pace wrote. "I want to use this column to again send solidarity and support to the people of Ukraine following the devastating scenes that have been unfolding in the country since the Russian invasion.
"I believe at times like this football has the power to unite and send a clear message. We were proud to welcome members of the local Ukrainian community to Turf Moor this week and I want to send my support to all those affected within the local area."
The Clarets wore warm-up shirts with the words 'Football Stands United - No War' after they welcomed Ukrainians from the local area for the defeat against Leicester in midweek.
Andriy Shevchenko has told Sky Sports News his family have refused to leave the Ukraine amid the Russian invasion and says his country is "united for freedom".
Shevchenko, one of Ukraine's most famous sportspeople, was the manager of the country's national side until last summer and began and ended his playing career in the country's capital with Dynamo Kyiv.
The 45-year-old has remained in London during the conflict to help lead the appeal to get humanitarian aid to his country, and laid bare the scale of the atrocities he is hearing of through his family.
Read the exclusive Sky Sports interview here
Everton's Vitaliy Mykolenko has hit out at Russia captain Artem Dzyuba and his international team-mates for their silence over the invasion of Ukraine.
The Ukraine defender, who joined Everton from Dynamo Kyiv in January, embraced his international colleague Oleksandr Zinchenko before Manchester City's clash with the Toffees last weekend as the attention of the football world focused on the plight of their country.
But, while support for Ukraine has been widespread, Cherkasy-born Mykolenko is furious that has not extended to players from the Russia football team.
