Arsenal have been handed an unusual setback ahead of their highly-anticipated North London Derby against Tottenham.
The Gunners have been banned from wearing their traditional red home kit due to a Premier League ruling, citing a colour clash with Spurs’ white jerseys.
The decision stems from the presence of too much white on the reverse of Arsenal’s home shirt, which the Premier League and the PGMOL believe could cause confusion on the pitch.
With Arsenal’s attempts to address the issue by offering to wear red shorts and socks, their request was turned down.
As a result, Mikel Arteta’s men will be forced to wear their black away kit when they visit Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this Sunday.
This ruling came after Arsenal had reportedly been warned in the summer about the potential for a clash, but production of the kits was already well underway.
The Gunners’ black away kit, which honours the club’s connection to the African diaspora, has already seen success this season when they debuted it against Aston Villa.
The North London Derby will see Arsenal aiming for their third consecutive win at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Last season, Arteta’s side won 3-2 in a thrilling encounter, but injuries in the squad have raised concerns ahead of this weekend’s showdown.
While the red shirts will be missing from the pitch, the intensity of one of football’s fiercest rivalries will remain undiminished.
Fans will be hoping Arsenal can overcome the disruption and extend their winning run against their biggest rivals.