Crystal Palace and Liverpool showed off their new kits in the Community Shield
Crystal Palace and Liverpool showed off their new kits in the Community Shield
The Premier League returns on Friday and as usual we've taken a look at all 40 home and away strips in the division this season - don't get too angry in the comments section
The , but it is time for the real annual curtain raiser to the new top-flight season.
Yep, for we've been casting our fashionista eye over the incoming campaign's new home and away kits - not thirds, come on we've all got lives - to deliver you the definitive list of the best and worst in the division.
So prepare to get irrationally angry at the merest perceived slight against your team, because it's all good practice for the next nine months isn't it? And accept no imitations, because the original and best kit rankings are BACK.
Remember to leave your comments, angry or otherwise, .
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40. Fulham away
My eyes! The goggles do nothing! Yeah the retro badge is nice, albeit a little out of step with the modern adidas logo (come on give us more trefoils lads) but overall this looks like there's been a terrible collision between a lorry full of radioactive waste and a factory full of Fulham home shirts.
2. 2 of 40
39. Aston Villa away
European champions in 1982, Villa seemed to have enjoyed last season's foray into the Champions League so much that they've kept the retro feel going with this number which is more suited to black and white television than glorious HD. Dull.
3. Putting aside the annual question about just how useful a Wolves away kit is anyway, if you think you've seen this one before you're almost right. It's pretty much an exact replica of last season's goalkeeper kit only with the badge moved to the side. It's also just a goalkeeper kit colour isn't it? You can't fool us, Sudu.
4. It's another one for the keeper kit files from Newcastle, who by the way are owned by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, just in case this kit wasn't making that clear enough.
5. If you happened to catch the Club World Cup then a) sorry about that, and b) this kit won't feel all that new to you. But whether is seen in the west London drizzle or next to the orange glow of Donald Trump it is still pretty dull.
6. Sadly Brentford have ditched their policy of keeping at least one of their shirts from the previous season to ease the financial burden on their fans. It's a shame, but everyone gouges everyone else these days so it's understandable. It's just unfortunate they've produced this quite forgettable home kit as a result.
7. It's, er, yeah. Look there are a lot of these and it's hard to find something to say about ALL of them, okay?
8. This is a familiar problem for Brighton, and one we seem to touch on every year. Because you are absolutely certain you've seen them wear this kit before aren't you? Like, positive. And surely they have, haven't they? Nice little detail on the inside of the neck though just in case you'd forgotten.
9. They don't seem as scary as they used to be these days, but if they were then we'd describe this away kit as 'ominous' or 'business-like' or something. But instead it's just fairly non-descript.
10. Long term readers of these yearly events - hi mum - will know that we are absolutely not sticklers for consistency, but every so often we'll do something sensible just to keep you on your toes. So yeah Spurs away is just above City's.
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30. Aston Villa home
Not quite sure why this isn't really hitting the heights. It could be that it's quite similar to last season's, or maybe the weirdness of the sleeves. Dunno.
2. 12 of 40
29. Brentford away
The badge is good. The brown and gold though? Not quite. When it was released the club announced that the shirt 'celebrates our special relationship with the bee'. Which is quite a funny thing to say isn't it.
3. Like a Saturday night in certain east London establishments, there is claret everywhere. There's not much blue for the Hammers this season, with those little bits under the sleeves and on the collar not quite cutting it.
4. We can already feel that this won't go down well, but while it's a perfectly fine shirt it's not really that different from previous ones is it? Also, stop trying to get us to go to Rwanda please Arsenal.
5. Back in the big time again, Burnley return with this effort that like West Ham is much more claret than it is blue. It's a slightly more pleasing shade of claret though, which is why they're higher. Honest.
6. Still sporting the funniest of the random gambling company sponsors are Bournemouth, who have added a dash of gold to their usual red and white stripe offering this time around. Yep, we're in the realm of 'it's fine' now.
7. There's not an awful lot going on here, but at least there's the piping down the sides and on the sleeves which elevate it somewhat. Like Fulham themselves, inoffensive.
8. See, consistency again. Don't say we don't listen to you. Manchester United's away kit has a little bit more going for it than the Fulham home one though, with the jazzy pattern on the front.
9. 19 of 40
22. Brighton & Hove Albion away
The only middle badge on an away kit this season, and one of only three in our 40, this does look a little bit like a cyclops from far away. The colours are different though, and that is to be applauded in a season of sameyness.
10. It's another that falls into the category of kits you think they've worn before, but there's a subtle drop in the neck which is a nice touch and elevates this somewhat. You'd better buy it or more dinnerladies might get sacked.
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20. Newcastle United home
There's a dash of blue here which makes the black and white stripes pop somewhat, and Newcastle have also gone with what we think we'd all describe as a 'traditional' stripe width, which is always comforting to see.
2. 22 of 40
19. Burnley away
Burnley will be resembling a lovely blue sky on their travels this season, and the drop on the collar gives this a nice look too. Yeah we're into the bit where they're basically all just as nice as each other now.
3. It's a Leeds away shirt that puts you in mind of Harry Kewell, Mark Viduka, Rio Ferdinand.... Peter Ridsdale... expensive goldfish bowls and, er, getting relegated. Sure it'll all be fine this time around though.
4. Different? Yeah. In a good way? Hmmm. Arsenal are reminding us of some of their dreariest teams of the 1990s with their change strip which 'features a fresh take on the iconic lightning bolt design which has become synonymous with our away kits' if they say so themselves.
5. We all know that needs must when it comes to sponsorship, but it's a shame that the Bulls are Red here because they do kind of draw your attention away from the rest of the kit.
6. Maybe the wavy lines are a reference to the water down by their new stadium on Liverpool's docks, but they're a nice touch here. They also give a darker look to Everton's traditional royal blue that makes this shirt pop a bit more.
7. It was so nearly there but the red shield around the Liver bird crest probably wasn't really needed, and the black on the collar and sleeves could maybe just do with being red as well. Nice though.
8. You've got to be brave to pull off the middle badge but Spurs have done it here, even if, as with Leeds, your eyes are rather drawn to the big red sponsor before anything else. Which of course is exactly what the sponsor wants. Good sponsoring, AIA.
9. Also going straight down the middle are Sunderland, who return to the big time rocking the Hummel chevrons, which are always a welcome addition to any shirt even if they get a little bit lost among the stripes here.
10. The sash. It's bold, it's different, and it can look very good when it's done well. And that's exactly what Manchester City and Puma have done here with a streak across the front of a kit that screams style. Maybe. Look we're into top 10 now, almost there.
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10. Chelsea away
Who knows what on earth is going on with Chelsea's shirt sponsorship these days, but until they get one plastered on the front of this shirt just enjoy those unsullied stripes while you can. This could be worn by Morocco at a World Cup, and that's absolutely a good thing.
2. 32 of 40
9. Wolverhampton Wanderers home
Collars can make or break football kits, and Wolves have called this one just right. Any bigger and we'd have been in danger of veering towards the 1970s, but it works perfectly on a shirt which is a pleasing shade of the old gold.
3. Rocking a somewhat newer gold are Crystal Palace, but we'll let them get away with that after last season's successes. It's a departure from the norm in terms of their away kit colours, but as ever with Palace it's a good-looking one.
4. Meanwhile there's a strong 80s feel to the Palace home shirt, which also looks a little bit like a shirt a fictional football team might wear as well. Not sure why. The white outlines make the red and blue really stand out, and it's a bold look for a club making strides in stripes.
5. Not that you ever would obviously, but you *could* wear this on a night out couldn't you? It's a soft, stylish look on the road for Forest this season with the adidas detailing and colouring making it stand out from similar efforts on this list.
6. This is another one that you could wear out if you were that way inclined - although we are in no way encouraging you to be, just to make that clear. The collar and the sleeves are nice, and there's a fresh look to the shirt which works well.
7. Liverpool and Adidas are back together, and it just looks right. The reigning champions will turn out in this excellent home number which could only be improved if it featured the original trefoil not the newer logo, but you knew that already didn't you.
8. All hail the Hummel chevrons and their place on the Sunderland away kit, which blends together the retro badge with a retro kit in a way that others have failed this season. The Roker lighthouse is woven into the fabric too, making it easy to see why this shirt has been such a winner with the Mackems.
9. It's a scrappy underdog, and judging by past experience this is probably going to be the most controversial placing on this list, but we're happy with our choice. Bournemouth's away kit is smooth, sleek and, yeah we're gonna say it, sexy. The Cherries are going to pop in this.
10. Yep, it's the pinstripes again. They are a long-term favourite on these lists, and Nottingham Forest have pulled them off perfectly for a home shirt which has strong early 90s vibes. Granted, Forest got relegated back then, but as they prepare for a season in the C̴o̴n̴f̴e̴r̴e̴n̴c̴e̴ ̴L̴e̴a̴g̴u̴e̴ Europa League such concerns should be far away in this.