A STUNNING BLM SALUTE WATCHED BY THE WORLD..

UNITY, choreography, controversy.

Put to one side for a second that extraordinary failure to give a clearly legitimate first-half goal to Sheffield United.

That Black Lives Matter tribute, as referee

Michael Oliver blew for starters, was something else.

Every player, on both sides, bending the knee spread out across the pitch – along with the officials. Just stunning.

Let’s not kid ourselves, football likes a gimmick.

But with the eyes of the 212 territories around the world watching, this felt like something else. As for the action, football has always been a bit like the Saturday night lottery draw.

For all the whistles, bells and razzmatazz, all anyone is ever interested in are the numbers.

So it was here at the start of this brave new world. The arm bumps between Chris Wilder, Dean Smith (below) and the respective backroom staffs were no different to what we were all doing before the lockdown.

The Blades’ pre-match huddle, however, will have confused viewers told beforehand that goals would be celebrated in isolation.

There also seemed little point in the two teams lining up pre-match to face the empty stands. And the minute’s silence, in tribute to those affected by the coronavirus, sadly felt more like 20 seconds.

But then that tribute. Executed to perfection.

The game felt like a cross between a pre-season friendly and a regional schools cup final.

The crowd noise worked. Even if the noise operator at times had the touch of a Twister competitor.

The action flowed courtesy of those disinfected spare balls around the pitch perimeter.

The only ball that should have counted, however, was the one so far over the line it bulged the side netting.

You prepare for everything and then Hawkeye goes AWOL.