Tonight, Tottenham Hotspur play Manchester City in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final, the first of three meetings between the sides over the next 12 days.
It brought to mind a similar situation from 11 years ago, when Liverpool and Arsenal clashed at the same stage but it was even more condensed – their league game was between the two European ties.
Before looking at that, though, we go back to October 2007, for the sides’ first meeting of the season, in the Premier League at Anfield.
Arsenal had broken with – or, strictly speaking, returned to – tradition in the summer of 2007 as they launched a white change shirt. The shorts were redcurrant and, while Arsenal often used alternative shorts with change kits, there wasn’t considered to be a need to do so for the 1-1 draw at Anfield.
Arsenal had led the league in the autumn and into 2008 but, by the time of the Champions League quarter-finals, they had faltered, drawing four and losing one in a run of five games.
They were at home for the quarter-final first leg on April 2 and Liverpool wore their third kit, which was marketed as a European away strip.
That game was also 1-1 and three days later, Liverpool were back in North London for a Premier League tie. While it too finished 1-1, this time Pool used their white away shirts.
The black third socks were called upon due to the clash, but while the shorts were also black, red and white, they were a different style, matching the Onore template of the away, in contrast to the third, known as Golpe.
April 8 saw the second leg at Anfield. While it wouldn’t have been a surprise to see Uefa demand a change of Arsenal shorts – and they did have a white alternative set for the away – the only differences from the game in October were the sleeve patches and number fonts.
However, while the kit match-up was familiar, the scoreline differed as, instead of another 1-1, Liverpool won 4-2 to set up another all-English tie against Chelsea in the semi-finals.
