Ukraine hero Oleksandr Zinchenko is a good man who Man City fans will hold close in solidarity

St Peter’s Square is a place synonymous with Manchester’s radical tradition and the city’s history of standing tall in opposition to tyranny and oppression.

Previously known as St Peter’s Field, it was the site of the Peterloo Massacre on August 16, 1819, when cavalry charged a crowd of 60,000 people protesting in favour of parliamentary reform and universal suffrage.

An estimated 18 people, including four women and a child, died from sabre cuts and trampling, with almost 700 people seriously injured.

That dark day was influential in ordinary people in the UK winning the right to vote, and the values of equality and sacrifice can be seen in the square today, from the statue of Suffragette Emmaline Pankhurst to the Manchester Cenotaph.

It was, therefore, a fitting setting for Manchester’s Ukrainian community to lead a vigil on Thursday night following the Russian invasion of their homeland.

Among their number was Manchester City full-back and Ukraine international Oleksandr Zinchenko, who looked visibly emotional.

“What would you do if someone abroad attacked the UK? How would you react? It's how he feels,” Guardiola replied when asked about Zinchenko attending the event, where Manchester City Council lit up the Central Library in Ukraine’s national colours of yellow and blue.

“We spoke all of us, I spoke with him. Everyone, the friends, the staff. Oleks is an incredibly strong guy, a really brilliant guy.

“Of course, it's not easy but today and yesterday in training he was brilliant. He's ready to play in case he has to play.”

At times like this, football feels incredibly unimportant, articles like this even more so and entirety futile to boot.

But tragedies such as the war in Ukraine also compel us towards