Competition Rules Would Not Allow Nike Air Max Liverpool 20-21 Fourth Kit - Alternative Match Version to Be Released?

Now that we've pretty much confirmed the design of the Liverpool 2020-21 fourth kit, a big question remains:

Would such a kit, with an oversized 'Nike Air' logo on the right chest, even be allowed in official competitions? The short answer is that it wouldn't.

As can be seen in the UEFA kit regulations, quoted below, the size of the logo found on the leaked Liverpool shirt would exceed the 20cm² limit.

"The manufacturer identifications may be displayed as follows: On shirts: one manufacturer identification not exceeding 20cm², on the chest, above any sponsor advertising."

Now, there are a number of options, none of which are fully convincing, for Nike and Liverpool to follow.

1. Not wear the kit in official games

It could be that Liverpool will simply not wear the kit in official matches. While that would be disappointing to some, there certainly would also be quite a few traditionalists out there who would appreciate the club not using four different kits in the same designs.

There are precedents for this, in particular with Nike. For example, England released two bold 'remixes' of the 2018 away kit, which were only worn ahead of two matches in late 2018.

Similarly, Manchester United wore their CNY jersey during warm-up but never in an official match.

2. Use an altered version in official games

There's also the option of Liverpool using a changed version of the kit, featuring a smaller or altogether different supplier mark on the chest. This could either be replicated on the 'Vapor Match' version of the shirt (we can't confirm its existence but it's difficult to imagine there won't be one) or just on the match-issued shirts for the players.

The latter in particular would be quite odd and not something that's really happened before - it cannot be ruled out however.

Twitter user @KdogTrue has provided six different edits of the original design that would all comply with the Premier League and UEFA's kit rules.

Should that be what will be done, we would definitely expect it to be the version that's closest to the original 'Nike Air Max' design, which would be the first on this case.

This option was supported by kit insider @hendocfc, who tweeted that there would be an alternative version with a different logo.

3. Wear it in a friendly

It's also possible that this shirt, which many have likened to a baseball jersey, was supposed to be worn in overseas friendlies in the US or Asia.

None of that has taken place last year and it's also fairly unlikely for this year, due to Covid. We think that this option is less likely given the fact that the shirt was always only supposed to be released midway through the season, a time were clubs don't usually play friendlies at all.

Liverpool traveled to the USA in 2019 but similar plans did not work out in 2020 and the club ended up going to Austria instead.

What do you think about all this? What's the most likely option in your opinion? Comment below.