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Aston Villa and Southampton observe a minute of silence in memory of Queen Elizabeth before singing the national anthem…
- Premier League matches held on Friday night paid tribute to Queen Elizabeth II
- The two matches were the first top-level matches since The Queen died at the age of 96
- Nottingham Forest hosted Fulham, while Aston welcomed Villa Southampton
- A brief silence on the City Ground was disrupted by home fans saying ‘You Reds’
- The national anthem God Save The King was also played before the kick-off at 8 p.m.
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The Premier League has come together to pay tribute to Her Majesty The Queen in England’s first top-flight football matches after her death last Thursday.
Queen Elizabeth II was 96 when she died in Balmoral last week and matches across England were postponed in the wake of her death.
The first Premier League games after her death were played on Friday night, with Aston Villa hosting Southampton and Nottingham Forest against Fulham.
A minute’s silence was held in memory of the Queen before both games, while her image was broadcast on large screens in Villapark and Stadsplein.
The lights were out at Villa Park for their silent tribute to Her Majesty, and reports suggested the moment of silence was immaculately perceived by both home and traveling supporters.
At the City Ground, however, the silence was met by some home fans who shouted ‘You Reds’, and others told them to ‘shut up’, the newspaper said. Sports post‘s reporter at the stadium, Adam Shergold.
On both grounds, there was a rendition of ‘God Save The King’ to mark the new reign of her son, King Charles III.
There was no pre-match music provided by the Premier League for this weekend’s matches and the traditional pre-match handshake was also abandoned as part of changes made to standard protocol.
Premier League clubs have shown their respect for late Queen Elizabeth II ahead of matches
Images of the late Queen were broadcast on big screens, alongside silence and the national anthem
Players and officials from all sides wore black armbands, following the official advice in a Premier League statement on the occasion of his return, 12 days after the last game ended.
While top English clubs have played in European competition, these are the first domestic top-level matches to take place in England under the new king’s reign.
A minute of applause is prepared for the 70th minute of each match, marking the long reign of Elizabeth II, who celebrated her platinum jubilee earlier in 2022.
A minute of silence was also held at Meadow Park before the first game of the Women’s Super League season between Arsenal and Brighton.
Nottingham Forest City Ground hosted Fulham in one of the first league games back
At the Villa Ground, Aston Villa’s match day program paid tribute to Queen Elizabeth II
There are seven Premier League matches scheduled this weekend. The Brighton v Crystal Palace game had previously been postponed due to proposed train strikes and has not been reinstated, while Manchester United v Leeds and Chelsea v Liverpool have both been suspended due to police requirements in London ahead of Monday’s funeral.
There is already a significant media presence in the capital, alongside thousands of mourners and the expected arrival of high-ranking political figures from around the world.
This is why thousands of police officers are employed in London, leaving less available for high-level football matches.
Chelsea-Liverpool and Manchester United-Leeds have been postponed due to police shortages