Manchester United’s treble winning feat achieved in 1999 was a difficult task than that of Manchester City in 2023. That is the opinion of Arsenal legend and talkSPORT’s guest, Martin Keown, who compared both Manchester sides in the wake of the Citizens’ recent success.
Pep Guardiola’s side sealed an historic treble on Saturday after they claimed a 1-0 win over Inter Milan in the Champions League final.
Just a week before that win, they had claimed the FA Cup and had also won their third consecutive Premier League title – their fifth in the last six seasons – just weeks before.
Pep Guardiola’s side have joined the history books and have now become only the second English team to achieve such a feat after Manchester United, who made their own history in 1999.
Both sides have been praised in their own right, but Arsenal legend Keown believes it was more difficult for United to achieve, compared to Manchester City.
Man United’s treble was more praiseworthy, says Keown
Speaking on White and Jordan, Keown said: “No one laid claim to the successes of the previous treble which was 1999, United.
“I’m pretty certain that domestic rivalry brings out the best in you and makes you go to another level. Now, City were somewhat behind Arsenal, Arsenal were just incredible in the league and it fell away for Arsenal.”
“But in a way, maybe it got City to change gear, got Pep to get even better, got him to look at playing [John] Stones in a midfield role which he wasn’t playing, was he, before the World Cup?”
“After the World Cup everything changed, so they kind of slid into another gear and you do have to have that domestic rivalry, I think Liverpool have fallen away a little bit in recent times.”
Keown further buttressed his point by saying City had no real competition in their way, compared to Manchester United in 1999.
He continued: “I think actually maybe what United did to compare, with Arsenal having won the double just the year before, maybe it was more of an achievement for United because domestically it was more difficult then.
“Just two or three years later we [Arsenal] won another double, so they were in and around a team that was really pushing them on their own doorstep, United.
“Whereas City, once Arsenal fell over, it was pretty easy for them to do what they do. But, I do feel this is just the beginning, this is the beginning of what they have.
“When I look at the quality of their squad and you know he’s [Guardiola] going to buy again, and he knows he’s looking over his shoulder, he’s got that bang, it’s in the cabinet, off we go.”
