Arsenal rocked up to the Emirates Stadium for their FA Cup third round clash against Manchester United with a new unique look – but there’s a very serious reason behind the Gunners’ all-white kit
There was a change in aesthetics for Arsenal on Sunday afternoon.
The Gunners, despite playing at home, ditched their famous red kit for an all-white strip as they welcomed Manchester United to their corner of north London. However, the Red Devils were also in their change kit, so why were Arsenal in white?
Mikel Arteta’s side are wearing the changed kit as part of the club’s stand against knife crime and youth violence. Arsenal first started the campaign in January 2022, when they wore an all-white kit away at Nottingham Forest.
Lewis Grabban scored the only goal of the game as the hosts claimed a famous 1-0 victory. They’ve also donned all-white in the FA Cup third round for the past two season – including a 3-0 win over Oxford United and a 2-0 defeat to Liverpool.
The campaign is called No More Red – hence the move away from the red strip. Ahead of the game, Declan Rice said: “There’s an immense pride you feel when you pull on the No More Red shirt.
“Having such a special connection with our supporters in our community gives us a real understanding of the people we’re representing and the role we can have as players in raising awareness around issues such as youth crime and violence.
“Their stories give us inspiration which fuels our performances. Our community drives us forward, and we win together.”
While the head of Arsenal in the Community, Freddie Hudson, added: “Knife crime and serious youth violence is incredibly complex.
“We don’t have the solution to fix the problem, but we know our work with adidas is helping keep young people safe and create opportunities for more positive futures.
“It’s important we continue to invest in safe spaces where we engage young people facing multiple challenges as they navigate their way through their lives. This is where trust is built, and positive relationships develop with our staff.
“Being part of something positive like No More Red creates an important sense of belonging.
“The safe spaces and trusted relationships lead to connections and opportunities like volunteering, education and employment. Over time, we see young leaders emerge from our projects to inspire and influence other young people to make good life choices.”