Midweek Mashup – Manchester United, 2023

Manchester United have worn kits of many different combinations over the years – regular readers will be aware of their propensity to have two or even three sets of shorts or socks in the same colour in a single season.

It perhaps seems strange then Wednesday night’s vital Champions League game away to Galatasaray will see the club in a kit format that they have never worn before – all the more surprising given the colours involved.

United manager Matt Busby experimented with red shorts during the 1956-57 season – seven years before Liverpool tried something similar.

They appeared for both legs of the European Cup semi-final against Real Madrid, having been trialled in a league game against Bolton Wanderers shortly beforehand. However, after that, it was back to white shorts with the primary shirts, with black coming to prominence as the backup option.

For the change kit, while white shirts were the most common option, they were paired with either white or black shorts, though in later years hues of royal blue, navy blue and grey appeared. Never did they line out in white jerseys and red shorts, though.

The current third shirt – flagged that possibility, with red alternative shorts available in the club shop. The strip’s first appearance in the Premier League away away to Burnley, whose sky-blue shorts would have allowed United to wear red, but instead they went with all-white.

Often, Uefa will look to avoid colour-crossover – in the home game against Galatasaray, United had to wear black shorts and socks with their visitors in a white and grey mix.

However, it appears that the governing body have decided that Gala can field in their usual halved shirts, white shorts and gold socks with United in white-red-white.

They will hope that it can inspire them to a much-needed victory.