Just ahead of Halloween, English Premier League side Arsenal was forced to wear something of a Franken-uniform in their UEFA Europa League match against Dutch Eredivisie club PSV Eindhoven on Thursday.
As the home team, PSV Eindhoven had first choice of kits and went with their usual home ensemble: red-and-white vertically striped shirts, black shorts and white socks.
This left Arsenal in a pickle. PSV’s pick clashed with both their home shirts, which are red with white sleeves, and the shorts of their away kit, which are black. Eventually Arsenal settled on their black away shorts and socks with a one-off pair of white shorts that featured black numbers and a black Adidas logo on the left leg, a black cannon on the right leg — matching the gold crest on the shirt — and no Adidas stripes down the sides.
Arsenal has a pink third shirt in its closet this season, which can be paired with either navy blue or pink shorts. But that was a no-go because the pink shirt would have been too close to PSV’s home shirt, and the navy blue shorts too close to PSV’s home shorts.
Earlier in the week, Museum of Jerseys speculated Arsenal might have to wear their black away shirt and socks with their home shorts, which are white with red trim, or even the shorts that normally go with their grey goalkeeper kit. But Adidas came through with white shorts at the last minute.
Arsenal faced a similar problem over the weekend when they wore their away kit in a match against Southampton, whose usual home outfit also features black shorts. The Premier League, however, apparently isn’t as big of a stickler about shorts clashes as UEFA is, as both team wore black shorts.
Sock clashes are another matter, though. Arsenal has worn plain grey socks with the black away kit for a couple of Premier League matches so far this season, including a recent trip to Brentford FC.
Related stories:
Clubs from Europe’s Top Domestic Football Leagues Unveil Slew of New Kits 
Paris Saint-Germain Trots Out 2023-24 Away Kit – Plus More Unveilings From Around Europe 
Liverpool Throw It Back to the ’90s With New Away Kit – Plus More European Unveilings 
Arsenal’s New Home Kit Marks 20th Anniversary of Invincibles Season — Plus Other European Unveilings 
Barcelona, Real Madrid Third Kits Highlight Recent Unveilings From Around Europe 
Manchester United Returns to White Away Kit for 2022-23 — Plus Other Recent Unveilings from Around Europe 
Liverpool’s ‘Dizzying’ Away Kit Highlights Recent European Club Football Unveilings for 2022-23 
Clubs from France, Italy and Other Leagues Around Europe Release New 2022-23 Kits