Tottenham are sporting an unfamiliar look in tonight’s north London derby against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.
Ange Postecoglou’s side are wearing their change strip at the home of their fiercest rivals for the first time since 2012.
On that occasion, with Andre Villas Boas’ side decked out in a half black and half grey and half black kit, Spurs were hammered 5-2 by an Arsenal team which contained the likes of Olivier Giroud, Santi Cazorla and Jack Wilshere.
Arsenal, meanwhile, wore their black away kit for the reverse fixture earlier this season when Gabriel Magalhaes’ header proved the difference between the two teams.
It was the first time the Gunners had warn anything other than a red and white kit at Spurs since the 1985/86 season.
It is Spurs who have been forced into a change this evening, however, on account on the unusual amount of white in Arsenal’s current home shirt.
‘Both teams will be wearing their away strips in the fixtures this campaign, after [referees’ body] PGMOL and Premier League ruled that our 2024-25 home kit features too much white, thus clashing with Tottenham’s traditional colours,’ Arsenal said in a statement back in September.
Arsenal will be hoping for a return to winning ways, meanwhile, after their cup defeats against Newcastle and Manchester United in the last week.
Victory against Ange Postecoglou’s men would see Mikel Arteta’s men close the gap on Liverpool at the top of the table to four points, albeit having played a game more, after the Reds were held by Nottingham Forest last night.
‘It’s probably the nicest game of the season to watch because of the atmosphere, because of what it means to our people, what it means to us and everybody involved in the game,’ said Arteta in his pre-match press conference.
‘This is something that is in our hands, for example. Let’s create the best atmosphere that we have played at the Emirates, that’s our objective.
‘That’s something that we control, the players, the staff, and everybody that turns up tomorrow. This is something that we can do, so let’s do it.
‘It’s not rosy in the garden, because [if] I won two days ago in a way that I didn’t merit or because we won two games in a row, the next day, the garden is rosy again.
‘These things are about what’s in the garden the next day. It’s our job, what’s in the garden the next day is the most important thing.’
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