- Everton’s amber and blue away, Leeds’ green and blue away and Newcastle United’s purple and black third had their first run-outs
- Chelsea premiered their third kit – but, as with Leicester City at West Bromwich Albion two weeks previously, they had to wear white alternative socks
- Leicester’s third was seen in its default configuration for the first time
- Manchester United wore red-white-black for the first time this season (they would also do so at Brighton in the Carabao Cup four days late)
And here are Matt Smith’s ratings for the kit-choices by the away teams, along with the first table of the new season:
Man Utd 3, Everton 1, Chelsea 0, Southampton 1, Leeds 3, Newcastle 1, Leicester 3, Wolves 3, Aston Villa 3, Arsenal 1
All about the alternative shorts this week. It can be discussed for forever and a day whether it matters (it does), but when you see sides like Everton who traditionally do employ the tactic choosing not to, it really does hit home that things may never be the same.
Mix and match is available to some – Southampton, Arsenal – yet again that’s ignored these days.To offset the disappointment, it was good to see Manchester United using the old red-black-white combination that’s served them well over the last few decades since its unfortunate debut in a Manchester derby.
