'This one is for the fans': Manchester United unveil black away kit and dedicate it to supporters

Manchester United have released their new black away kit for the 2020-21 season, with first-team stars Paul Pogba and Marcus Rashford among those fronting the launch.

The Premier League giants say the kit is dedicated to the fans, with the pattern of the shirt resembling a 1979 album cover by legendary Manchester band Joy Division.

Kit supplier adidas, who are selling an authentic version of the kit for £99.95 on their website, say the black shirt is a throwback to Newton Heath, who formed the club that would later be called Manchester United back in 1878.

Star midfielder Pogba praised the club's supporters during the kit release video, saying: 'They give us this push, they give us this extra.

'We want to give them this love back on the pitch. This one is for the fans.'

Comparisons with Joy Division's 'Unknown Pleasures' album were picked up by fans, with the band becoming synonymous with the Manchester music scene in the 1970s and 1980s.

'Love Will Tear Us Apart', their highest-charting release, was famously adapted into a chant in honour of Man United legend Ryan Giggs.

However, fans did not take well to the kit back in May when first images of the kit were leaked back in May, calling the new strip 'boring'.

One supporter was disenchanted enough with the kit to ask 'Can we drop Adidas?', while another was simply grateful that this adidas kit did not 'cause epileptic seizures.'

Manchester United's kit deal with adidas is the second-highest in the Premier League, behind Liverpool's £80million-a-year deal with Nike which was finalised in January 2020.

The Red Devils avoided the potential loss of £25million through kit sponsorship after they qualified for the Champions League back in July.

Missing out on the Champions League for a second successive season would have allowed adidas to keep a third of their agreement with the Premier League club.

Manchester City have the third-highest kit in England's top-flight due to their £65million-a-year with Puma, while Arsenal and Chelsea bring in £60m-a-year with adidas and Nike respectively.

Tottenham Hotspur, on the other hand, rake in £30m-a-year through their deal with Nike.

However, United's deal is still small in comparison to La Liga giants Real Madrid and Barcelona, who earn £110m and £100m respectively.