ARSENAL and Manchester United will use a DIFFERENT ball to their FA Cup rivals this weekend.
Gunners boss Mikel Arteta kicked up a fuss about the ball used in his side’s Carabao Cup semi-final first-leg defeat to Newcastle on Tuesday.
And the Spaniard could be irked by the ball his troops are set to use in their third-round clash with United on Saturday afternoon.
Competition ball supplier Mitre have announced the game will be played with special matchday balls to pay homage the visitors, who are the current FA Cup holders.
Their special FA Cup Ultimax Pro Winners ball will be in use at the Emirates.
But the rest of the FA Cup third-round ties will be played with a DIFFERENT ball.
Arteta will no doubt be vocal about the special edition ball should it be at the centre of any controversy, of which there has been plenty with United over the years.
Speaking after the north Londoners’ 2-0 midweek defeat to Newcastle, he said: “We also kicked a lot of balls over the bar.
“And it’s tricky that these balls fly a lot so there’s details that we can do better.
“But at the end that’s gone, there’s no way back it’s about the next game and that’s our world, the reality is our world.
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“It’s just different. Very different to a Premier League ball, and you have to adapt to that because it flies different.
“When you touch it the grip is very different as well so you adapt to that.”
The EFL reacted quickly to Arteta’s comments, with a spokesperson saying: ” As is required throughout the professional game, the PUMA ball used in this season’s Carabao Cup and in EFL competition since 2021/22 is tested in accordance with the FIFA Quality Programme for Footballs, and meets the FIFA Quality Pro standard.
“In addition to the Carabao Cup, the same ball has been successfully used in other major European leagues, including both Serie A and LaLiga and our three divisions in the EFL.
“All Clubs play with the same ball, and we have received no further comments of this nature following any of the previous 88 fixtures which have taken place in this season’s Carabao Cup.”
