Maitland-Niles stands alone as Everton and Chelsea take the knee

Ainsley Maitland-Niles was the only player on the pitch to remain standing as Everton and Chelsea took the knee before their Premier League match. The gesture marked the start of the league’s latest No Room For Racism campaign rounds; the reason for Maitland-Niles’s decision was not given in Metro’s report.

The Premier League said players would take the knee before kick-off in every fixture across the next two match rounds, running through October 25. The league said the action followed a decision by club captains at the start of the season. Maitland-Niles had not publicly indicated before the match that he would not take part.

League chief executive Richard Masters said the campaign uses the reach of players to show unity against discrimination and highlight diversity’s impact in football and communities. He said discrimination was unacceptable, while acknowledging that players and others in football still face abuse. The league said it would continue supporting those targeted and work with clubs and authorities to bring offenders to justice.

The gesture has also faced questions from players who argue that symbolic action must lead to change. Former Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha told Metro in 2021 that taking the knee felt “degrading” and like a “tick box” exercise. He questioned the value of repeated public discussions while Black players continued to face abuse, including through fake social media accounts.

Former Brentford striker Ivan Toney also told Metro that players had discussed the gesture and felt taking the knee for an extended period had not changed enough. He said players were being used as “puppets” while those in charge could treat the gesture as a response to the problem.

Maitland-Niles’s decision came as the league renewed a gesture intended to show unity against racism. The campaign rounds continue through October 25, while the debate raised by Zaha and Toney remains focused on whether public gestures are matched by effective action against abuse.