Manchester City 'dare to be different' with new third kit

Premier League champions take a bold approach with their change strip for the 2021/22 season

The new Manchester City 3rd kit. Courtesy Man City

Manchester City say they are "rewriting the rules" and "daring to be different" with the release of their new third kit for the 2021/22 season - and it's hard to argue with that.

The new strip, made by Puma, takes the bold and unusual approach of emblazoning the club's very name across the front in big letters, as well as sponsor Etihad Airways.

There are similarities with the Italy Euro 2020 strip - also manufactured by Puma - only that featured the name "Italia" in much smaller lettering.

The new City kit is made with Dope Dye, "an innovative manufacturing process that helps reduce the amount of water and dye used in production."

City added that dryCELL thermoregulation technology keeps players "dry and comfortable", while an "ultra-light jacquard structure" on the back of the shirt enhances breathability.

"It is easy to play safe, but we want to change perceptions of a conventional football jersey”, said Carl Tuffley, senior head of design manager Teamsport.

“The third kit presented an opportunity to be bold, so we wanted to reenergize these jerseys and take a new direction.”

City have already released new home and away kits for this season. They started their Premier League campaign in pale blue as they went down 1-0 at Tottenham Hotspur with new £100 million ($139m) signing Jack Grealish making his league debut.

They host Norwich City on Saturday at the Etihad Stadium.

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Premier League kits 2020/21: ranked, reviewed and rated

Arsenal: A smart approach with the club's fans hoping for smarter performances on the pitch following last season's disappointment. The away strip has that retro feel with more than a hint of the kit Michael Thomas wore during 'that' moment at Anfield in 1989. RATING: 8/10

Aston Villa: Kappa kits normally come with some verve - remember those skin tight classics which were big in Italy. There will be no Jack Grealish strutting around in them this season, and these are fairly run of the mill, but do come with a 3D badge and a nice neckline. The away shirt commemorates 40 years since Villa won the European Cup. Could have done better. RATING: 6/10.

Brentford: The Premier League newcomers arrive with a home strip that has a remarkable resemblance to Sunderland's recent offerings and an away kit that is plain but at least highly visible - so no excuses if they ship a bundle of goals against the big teams. RATING: 4/10.

Brighton & Hove Albion: Good effort all round. The width of the stripes on the home shirt makes it really pack a punch, while the shoulders on the away shirt jazz things up a bit. You know you'd feel proud wearing these kits. RATING: 8/10

Burnley: Umbro have spiced things up a little this time on the home kit, adding patterning to the main claret section and the multi-tonal arms. It's certainly more stylish than last season's bland offering. Away kit is yet to be revealed. RATING: 7/10.

Chelsea: Like the style of play when Maurizio Sarri was manager, the home shirt is all about patterns, and what an exciting new creation it is. The yellow side sections add some flair - and maybe, just maybe, it will spur Timo Werner on to find the back of the net. The away kit may just blend in to the uniforms of the match day police but otherwise offers a decent contrast. RATING: 8/10

Crystal Palace: More red than blue - which could make former Arsenal legend and new manager Patrick Vieira a happy man. The horizontal stripes bring joy to the eye, unlike much of Palace's play in recent seasons. The away kit goes for vertical stripes and a lovely colour combination along with an eagle in the background. RATING: 9/10

Everton: The club say the home shirt is "dazzle-camouflage inspired". It looks rather bland and uninspiring to me. The away shirt meanwhile is much better and is this time inspired by the Everton team of 1881-1882. You can't go wrong with a red sash. RATING: 7/10

Leeds United: Yellow returns on the home strip which brings flair to an otherwise plain and professional jersey. It's classic Adidas with the stripes on the shoulders, as found on the away shirt which feels very 'Leicester City'. RATING: 6/10

Leicester City: It's traditional Adidas with a v-neck and subtle patterning on the home shirt. Mint has been popular for away kits and while this is a cool kit, it feels somewhat like overkill now. RATING: 6/10

Liverpool: Yes, yes, yes. The Reds (and Nike) have nailed it this season. The pinstripes and orange cuffs and neckline are a joy on the home kit, while the away shirt is a thing of beauty and could be worn when barbecuing in the Hamptons on a hot summer day after a round of golf. RATING: 10/10

Manchester City: However the current Premier League champions perform this season, they will at least be dressed well. The home shirt has a 93:20 inscription on the inside of the neck in relation to Sergio Aguero's late winner in 2011/12. Otherwise it's a tidy design, while the away kit's plain white is offset by the fabulous colour combinations on the sponsor and badge. RATING: 8/10

Manchester United: The typical red home shirt looks like it was knocked up in 10 minutes, but do football shirts need to be a most artistic creation? If they do, then the away shirt makes up for it, with echoes of the 1990 kit (one of the best ever) which was wonderfully modelled by Lee Sharpe during his hat-trick against Arsenal at Highbury. RATING: 9/10

Newcastle United: Castore have entered the kit battle and their first effort with Newcastle is ... not the greatest entry by a long shot. The button-up home shirt looks odd with the thin white stripe in the middle, and the away kit's distorted lines are giving me a headache already. RATING: 5/10

Norwich City: It's difficult to say for someone whose loyalties lie with rivals Ipswich Town, but the Canaries are looking chirpy in these kits. The key factor is the sponsor logo shape which makes it blend in perfectly. The away colour combination is also joyous. They should at least get relegated in style. RATING: 9/10

Southampton: It's goodbye sash and hello stripes as the Saints hook up with Hummel. The crossneck is likeable, as are the classic Hummel chevron shoulders. The yellow away kit really should belong in the 1980s and has a non-league kit vibe, but hey, what's wrong with bringing multi-millionaire footballers back down to earth? RATING: 8/10

Tottenham Hotspur: The home shirt is basically a plain white t-shirt with a logo and sponsor slapped on and must have taken even less time to design than the Man Utd home shirt. Maybe they were in a rush having taken forever over the majestic away strip. It's an intergalactic fare likely to go down well with those fascinated by space as well as football. But is it enough to entice Harry Kane to stay? RATING: 8/10

Watford: A new take on the black and yellow from Kelme with faded hoops this time. It has a strong element of hornet about it. The bright red away kit has some added black and yellow too. Nice. RATING: 8/10

West Ham: The Hammers have gone old school Umbro this time around in both home and away. The latter is slightly better although it feels very Coventry City. There's nothing to get excited about here which is a shame given how well the team did last season. RATING: 5/10

Wolverhampton Wanderers: It's another from Castore, and while they say the home shirt is "modern and impactful", I say it's plain and average. The away kit is slightly improved with the black against grey working well. It does appear however that a child has flicked yellow paint on it. RATING: 6/10