Raheem Sterling scored the first goal of the Premier League’s return to action after the coronavirus lockdown as Manchester City defeated Arsenal 3-0 behind closed doors at the Etihad stadium on Wednesday.
The result means Liverpool, whose lead has been cut to 22 points by second-placed City, cannot now win the title on Sunday at Everton in the Merseyside derby.
But the league table was far from the minds of the few people inside the stadium at kickoff time, with a minute’s silence for victims of the coronavirus followed by the players and officials taking a knee in support of the “Black Lives Matter” movement.
Sterling, a prominent supporter of the movement whose slogan featured on the players’ shirts, fired home on the stroke of halftime to put the hosts ahead.
