Patrick Vieira urges players to keep taking knee after roll back of gesture

Sign up to Miguel Delaney’s Reading the Game newsletter sent straight to your inbox for free Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Patrick Vieira believes it is critical for players to keep taking the knee after those in the Premier League decided to limit when they take the anti-racism stance this season. “We all are about discrimination so this is the fight that we will take long, and that’s why I believe we still have to take the knee.” Last season, Wilfried Zaha became the first Premier League player to stop taking a knee before matches. James McArthur, James Tomkins and Michael Olise, meanwhile, are unavailable for the season opener due to ongoing injuries, with Olise still “a few weeks away.” Vieira said: “It’s important to keep stability to grow as a team and try to improve the squad, a couple of players came on and that will give us more challenges. “The game tomorrow will be important for us to start as well as we can.” Vieira will hope to recreate the magic of the side’s 3-0 victory over his former side at Selhurst Park last season, and believes opening the campaign at home under the intimidating Friday night lights could give his youthful side an added spark come kick-off.