As part of a Premier League initiative, Everton's shirts for Sunday's behind-closed-doors Merseyside derby at Goodison Park will feature the Black Lives Matter logo, with the wording replacing players' names on the back of jerseys. In a column for evertonfc.com, Blues striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin discusses the impact George Floyd's tragic death in the United States had on him, and the importance of football setting an example in the fight against racism. Calvert-Lewin also outlines the reasons behind his impressive progress on the pitch this season and why he has "never felt more confident" in his ability...

What happened to George Floyd in America made me very emotional. To see something like that in such graphic detail… it really hit home to me.

I’m in a privileged position where I don’t really come across too much racism on a daily basis.

But it’s so sad to see racism is very much still rife in the world. I don’t know if it’s a generational thing, but what I have really enjoyed seeing is my generation, as well as some of those who are older, protesting against it.

I think, for the first time in my life and in a long time, there has been a movement of real significance towards the way we all want the world to be.

We should all love each other as we love ourselves.

In terms of football getting involved in the Black Lives Matter movement, it’s a massive platform. Football is followed by millions of people all over the world. It’s a real platform for change.

I think that makes the racism incidents that have happened in football that much more significant. For me, the disciplinary measures for racist incidents need to be tougher.

I hope this movement can now kickstart a real big change in the world.

We are all equal and that’s the way it should be.

We return to Premier League action on Sunday, with a huge derby game at Goodison. We’ve had a really good three weeks of training since we’ve been back at USM Finch Farm.

Although it’s very hard to replicate match fitness without playing games, I’m feeling good and feeling sharp. I’ve been itching to get ready to go for a long while, to be honest.

It’s been a very important season for me and I’m eager to carry on the momentum from the form I was in before lockdown.

I signed a new five-year contract with Everton in March and it was amazing to get that recognition from the Club, for them to show that faith in me as a player after working so hard to get to where I am.

I had my family there when I signed, so it was a very emotional day. My old man was starstruck when he met Carlo Ancelotti!

The biggest change for me this season has been the way I am viewing myself on the pitch, the way I’m thinking.

That mindset has been a gradual progression through the experiences I have gained during my whole footballing career.

I have shown glimpses of what I’m capable of in the Premier League this season and I’ve got no doubt that I can pick up where I left off.

Sunday’s game, of course, will be a completely new experience for us – playing at Goodison behind closed doors.

You can’t really anticipate how it’s going to feel.

Our fans are fantastic and they play a big part in giving us that energy to run the extra mile with the atmosphere they create. That’s got to come from within now.

But I know all the lads are looking forward to getting out there and competing again, especially in such a big game against our rivals.

I’ve really enjoyed being back with the lads and we’ve looked good in training. We are all ready.

It’s a game we are going out to win. The fans can’t be there but we will be carrying them with us on the pitch.

Personally, I’ve been in good form and I’m in physically good condition.

I’m as confident as I’ve ever been going into a football match, knowing that I can stamp my mark on the game.

That is what I’m absolutely looking to do.